Uncover the Depths of Relationship and Sex Education
Storytelling to develop critical thinking
Welcome to 'All Of Us', a different Relationship and Sex Education teaching and learning resource. In this anthology you'll find a wealth of real stories shared by a diverse group of people that will share rich content and profound insights. Storytelling will enable readers to explore different contexts and perspectives on sexual relationships. Through guided reflection readers will be supported in further developing their critical thinking and nurture their empathy skills and self-awareness. Join our community to establish safe, healthy and meaningful connections and promote sexual well-being.
A Different Approach to Sex Education
Research has shown that by the time they graduate as many as one in three women and almost one in six men have been sexually assaulted. My book All Of Us: Storytelling to Develop Critical Thinking in Sex Education is an anthology where participants recount the most positive and the most negative sexual encounters in their adolescence. Together, we organically reflect on the cultural, social and personal factors that contributed to make each experience either wonderful or dreadful. The storytellers also share advice they would have wanted to hear as adolescents with the aim to support young people in navigating early sexual experience more safely, authentically and joyfully. Empathic, sincere and deep thinking, All Of Us provides a safe context to bridge different perspectives, build critical thinking, challenge harmful gender stereotypes and foster solidarity beyond age difference and including different genders and sexual orientations.
My Vision for Sex Ed
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The Power of Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful tool to enable young people to engage more meaningfully with sex education. Real stories make it more compelling for young people to identify with the participants/characters.
Building on Critical Thinking
At the end of each story a section with key questions is provided to engage the reader in building on their critical thinking, empathy, self-awareness and awareness of others.
Supporting Inclusion
LGBTQ+ inclusive scenarios and lived experiences are included, and the inter-generational adult storytellers from a range of ages foster a powerful dynamic of human belonging and deep solidarity.
Written Evidence Submitted to the Government
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Extending Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) to young people in post-16 education would contribute to the prevention of violence against women and girls. 72% of girls under 18 reported experiencing some form of emotional partner abuse and 31% of girls and 16% of boys reported experiencing some form of sexual partner violence (The Children’s Society, 2020). This findings could contribute to the government's broader strategy, given their pledge to halve violence against women and girls (Home Office, 2024).
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Further education is a gap in RSE legislation: RSE is mandatory up to the end of secondary education, but not in further education. Universities have been mandated by the Office of Students (condition E6) to have policies on harassment and sexual misconduct including a requirement to inform students about these topics, but further education is a gap that needs closing.
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Hundreds of thousands of young people are educated in college: Young people must be in full time education until they are 18, and 608,000 students age 16-18 study in either FE or sixth form college in England (AoC).
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The Women and Equalities Select Committee recommended the government extend RSE in 2023, with the Chief Medical Officer and Children’s Commissioner backing the change. Moreover, 56% of young people aged 16-17 support RSE beyond Year 11 (SEF, 2024) and 58% want wider PSHE to be mandatory up to 18 (HEPI, 2025). A petition calling for statutory RSE to Key Stage 5 has been signed by 95,081 people.
About
Emmanuelle Cuccolo
I am interested in what Sex Education can do to impact on the lived experience of young people in terms of increasing safety, fostering equal power dynamics and advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion. I am passionate about building a Sex Education that counteracts patriarchal and misogynistic influences and unequal heteronormative narratives. My overall aim is to prevent violence against women and girls by supporting young people in cultivating their empathy and critical thinking skills regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation, and by empowering them to safely and confidently embody their authentic nature.