Explore
What Explore is
The project enables 14-17 year olds to gain a better understanding of the realities of marriage in our society today by entering into open dialogues with married couples. The young people carry out research, working with the experience of the couples they meet, to explore the question: Does marriage matter in our society today?
The Education Act (1996) amended by the Learning and Skills Act (2000) and the DfEE's Sex and Relationship Education Guidance state that through a school's 'Sex and Relationship Education Policy' regard must be made for the requirement: "Pupils should be taught about the nature and importance of marriage for family life and bringing up children...(and) learn the significance of marriage and stable relationships as key building blocks of community and society".. The project also offers the opportunity for students to develop key skills relevant to the new Key Skill requirements of the national Curriculum.
The methodology
Students volunteer to work in groups of 8-12 and meet weekly for 90 minute sessions over a 12 week period. Most groups meet outside normal school hours. During these 3 months they meet 3 different married couples. A trained Adviser -
Coach supports the students and the couples in their work. Local Action Groups take responsibility for making things happen in their local areas. The type of marriage offered for examination is the Christian model of marriage, the inherited tradition of marriage in Britain today.
A half-day conference can be used for the whole year group. This half day programme enables students from the hole year group tp meet and interview two married couples. Students also work in small groups to identify the issues they want to talk to the couples about. Students have come from backgrounds of different faiths and none.
The results so far
Since the launch of the project in 1997, several thousand students in schools and sixth form colleges have taken part in these Workshops & Conferences. Of the students who wrote about their researches 72% saw marriage as relevant to society rather than solely a question of personal relationships. Students described the marriages they encountered using words including: love, trust, honesty, respect, communication, generosity, faithfulness, selflessness and commitment. They have been struck by the variety of Christian marriages they have seen and said they have never talked to adults in this way before.
Future developments
Work is being carried out in Berkshire, Kent, London, Hampshire, Wiltshire,Dorset, Oxfordshire, Norfolk. Explore is part of the Students Exploring Marriage Trust, which is a registered charity. Workshops are now also being run in Young Offenders Institutions.
Ways to get involved
You can contribute to the work of the project by visiting a Workshop with your spouse as a married couple, identifying schools who may wish to take part, training to be an Adviser-Coach, joining or forming a Local Action Group or by praying for this work or supporting it financially.
Further Information
For further information contact:-
Explore
E-mail: info@theexploreexperience.co.uk