Teen Sexual Health

Teen Workshop Modules

Nuts And Bolts - Overview | Understanding Relationships And What Keeps Them Afloat | How Do These Qualities Look? | Rights And Responsibilities In Relationships?

Relationship I: Understanding Relationships And What Keeps Them Afloat

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

Resources:

• Understanding Relationships And What Keeps Them Afloat Activity

Procedure:

• Explain the theme and purpose of this module to participants.

• As a large group, ask participants to brainstorm the different kinds of relationships they have. Explain that:
  • Having a "relationship" simply means having a connection to another person, and is not only about romantic or sexual relationships.
  • Relationships can be healthy or unhealthy for the people involved depending on what each person brings to the relationship.
  • Instead of seeing relationships as stagnant, try seeing them as entities that continuously change and evolve. You need to keep working at your relationships to keep them working for you.

• Divide the group into four smaller groups. Assign one of the following kinds of RelationSHIPS to each group :
  • Relationships with friends
  • Relationships with parent(s)
  • Romantic relationships
  • Relationships with favorite teachers

Have them draw a picture of a boat in water to represent their kind of relationSHIP. Inside the boat, put the qualities that would keep this relationSHIP afloat (healthy qualities). In the water, put the qualities that could bring down the relationSHIP (unhealthy qualities).

• Small groups share their relationSHIP.

• Discuss the following questions. Highlight responses on the drawings or write them on the board or flipchart paper:
  • Which healthy qualities are common to all of these relationships? Which unhealthy qualities are common to all?
  • Which healthy qualities are unique in these relationships? Which unhealthy qualities are unique?
  • Which qualities are most difficult to find in a relationship? Why might that be?
  • Is it common to have some or all of these unhealthy qualities in a relationship? (Emphasize that humans have many emotions, including jealous and anger. These emotions are not bad or good in and of themselves. In fact, they can act as a signpost to tell you you need to look at something in a situation. What makes these emotions unhealthy for you and others is how you express them.)
  • Did anything su rprise you about this activity?

To: How Do These Qualities Look? >