The areas covered by facilitators will include:

• Personal and relationship growth.
• Sexual and emotional developments as appropriate to the age group.
• If there is a concern for the safety or well being of any young person participating in an ACCORD programme the facilitator will report this to the DLP in the school and the DLP in ACCORD Dublin.
• A booking form from the school will be regarded as confirmation: (a) Of agreement by the school with the guidelines and conditions. (b) That the Parents/Guardians of the pupils attending the sessions will have been made aware of and will have consented to the pupils’ participation.
• The pupils will be made aware of these guidelines.

Relationship Programme for 5th Class Primary Schools'

This is a one-day programme presented by trained facilitators to groups of young people in 5th classes in primary schools.

The aims of the programme are:

• To prepare children in a reassuring way for all the changes that will occur over the coming years.
• To encourage healthy, respectful relationships at an age appropriate level.
• To enhance the skills necessary for decision making.
• To encourage a good sense of self.

• 1st Module: Introduces children to all aspects of development into adulthood and pays particular attention to the intellectual development looking at areas such as decision making, responsibility and peer pressure. 
• 2nd Module: This module looks at the uniqueness of each person in mind, body and spirit.  We hope to assist the children with developing a good sense of self worth and at this point we also introduce the area of physical development at an age appropriate level. 
• 3rd Module: Examines the fears and hopes and sometimes pressures that young people can experience at this time and to give them some coping skills where necessary.   At this point we will also revisit some of the information that has been discussed throughout the morning to ensure that everybody has a good understanding of their development.   

We hope by the end of the day to have left the students with a better awareness and understanding of their own sexuality, thus encouraging a positive attitude to growing up and a greater insight into relationships both now and in the future.

Relationship Programme for 6th Class Primary Schools'

This is a one day programme presented by trained facilitators to groups of  young people in 6th class primary schools.

The aims of the programme are:

• ​To give clear correct information about the changes that take place at the time of transition at a spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical level.
• To assist the children in building healthy relationships.
• To help the students develop a healthy positive attitude towards their emerging sexuality and to that of their fellow human beings.
• To help them to question what they see around them, and to discern between good and bad choices. 

The objective is that by the end of the programme the children will have received clear, easily understood information on all aspects of growing up delivered in a safe respectful environment.   That they should feel more comfortable about their approaching adolescence, will have been informed of all necessary, age appropriate facts and will have a deeper understanding of their uniqueness and self worth.

The Programme is divided into three one hour modules:

• 1st Module: Deals with the journey from childhood to adulthood and the changes that take place at a spiritual, intellectual and emotional level.
• 2nd Module: Examines the pressures that children can experience at this time in their development and helps with some skills to deal with these pressures.
  Physical changes will be discussed and conception and childbirth will be explained.
• 3rd Module: The children will get the opportunity to reflect on the day and ask questions.   They will get the opportunity to write questions at this point to allow the quieter children to have an opportunity to ask a question that they may otherwise find difficult to ask.

We hope, by the end of the day the children will have been given a more holistic view of the transition from childhood to adolescence and will feel more confident about the changes they will experience.

Relationship and Sexuality Programme for Secondary School Students. 

This programme can be delivered either over one full school morning or three sessions of one and a half hours duration delivered over three weeks.

The workshops are very interactive and all of our facilitators are skilled in encouraging participation from the group. 

The objectives of the programme are:

• To reach a fuller understanding of all aspects of relationships. 
• To improve communication skills. 
• To learn to deal with conflict more effectively.
• The understand the impact of family of origin on relationships and to increase self awareness.  
• To facilitate discussions on the impact of children, responsibility, commitment and expectations.  
• To give practical information on reproduction, sexually transmitted infections etc. 
• To assist the students in making informed choices.

This programme is a unique opportunity for students to discuss all aspects of relationships with a trained facilitator in a safe, respectful environment. 

This is often their first opportunity to listen to the views of the opposite sex in a structured and respectful format.   The part of the day that students often find most useful is the open discussion on the expectations of relationships from the opposite sex a lot of assumptions are made about this and it is always enlightening for them to hear factual feedback from the opposite sex. 

Young people are frequently bombarded with misinformation and negative views on marriage and relationships.   This is an opportunity for them to discuss important issues and hear a more balanced view as well as receiving sound advice and relevant information.

The programme was designed originally for Transition Year Students but is equally suitable for 3rd, 5th and 6th year students with some modification.   It is compatible with other personal development programmes already in place in some schools and  is also invaluable as a stand alone programme.

The facilitator would normally work with groups of approximately twenty five students so where the number exceeds this more facilitators would be required.

 In accordance with the instruction from the Department of Education to Schools ACCORD require the presence of a teacher during our workshops.

If you would like to book or require further information please contact us at schoolsprogramme@dublin.accord.ie or 01 4784400  

Insights into The World of Adolescents Workshop for Parents

This workshop was inspired by requests from parents who would frequently say to our facilitators "I would love to be a fly on the wall when you are talking to my child ! " So we are offering a "fly on the wall view" of the workshops we deliver to teenagers. 

It will inform parents of the most common concerns, interests or worries that arise in our group work with teenagers.   It will offer them an opportunity to discuss with the facilitator and other parents some of their concerns and will examine the way we communicate with teenagers.

Most of all we would hope that this insight will reassure parents that most of what "they are going through" is absolutely normal.   The aim of the workshop is that after participating they will feel more confident, informed and at ease with handling teenage issues and actually enjoy these precious, if challenging, years a bit more. 

It will be a very interactive workshop using some personal input from the facilitators, both professional and from their own experience of living with teenagers, some group discussion and some facts that they may or may not be aware of.

It will be completely non-intrusive and participants will only share information that they are comfortable with.

I would also like to point out that when using information from our workshops with teenagers the identity of all students and the schools they attend will be protected.

For more information or to book please contact us at schoolsprogramme@dublin.accord.ie or 01 4784400