Facilitating critical thinking about
sex and relationships
Teaching young people
how to think,
not what to think
Welcome to the Reimagining RSE project
Teachers face unprecedented pressure asΒ Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is increasingly tasked with addressing the vast array of complex issues like consent, online harms, the impact of social media and pornography, mental health, and the controversies around gender identityβfar beyond traditional teaching subjects. Many educators feel unprepared, handed rigid guidelines instead of tools for real conversations.
We are a small team of social sciences researchers at the Universities of Surrey and Bedfordshire with over 20 years of experience in RSE and facilitating challenging discussions. Our work focuses on embracing safe uncertaintyβnavigating the grey areas of sex and relationships education. We provide a facilitative approach that empowers educators to foster open, meaningful discussions, building confidence to hold space for complexity without needing all the answers. To find out more about safe uncertainty and its application to RSE, see our quick explainer here:Β
Our Mission
We aim to co-create practical resources to upskill educators in facilitation, helping them to:
- move beyond knowledge transfer to focus on facilitating critical thinking and emotional intelligence in the classroom.
- build confidence in managing sensitive topics and moments of uncertainty with empathy and care.
- create environments where young people feel safe to explore and question β and indeed, make mistakes and learn – without fear of judgment or punishment.
About us
Podcasts
Blogs
Video
Transforming Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in the Digital Age
Our approach is grounded in the principles of safe uncertainty, ensuring that RSE goes beyond just knowledge transfer to foster critical thinking, reflection, and meaningful discussion. Our short video explores how we can shape more inclusive, reflective and effective RSE, moving beyond traditional models to truly engage young people.
Get Involved
We know what works. We have evidenced our approach and know it has positive outcomes for young people. However, we canβt do this on our own. Yet, it is well documented how little direct training educators get in RSE. This is further complicated by a lack of resource, time and money to dedicate to the pursuit.
This is where you come inβ¦Β help us to identify the best way to fully upskill educators to be able to adopt our approach.
Our project thrives on collaboration. Weβre inviting educators, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to join us in co-creating innovative tools and resources that will work for you. Whether youβre passionate about supporting young people, curious about the concept of safe uncertainty, or eager to help re-imagine- RSE, weβd love for you to be part of this journey.
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