Split Banana Education C.I.C.

When we listen to young people, women, and other groups too often left out of decision making, we reshape health and education for the better 💥 We are pleased to see women’s and girls’ voices placed at the heart of the renewed Women’s Health Strategy from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England. It is especially encouraging to see menstrual health centred in the strategy, including a new £1 million programme to help girls recognise the signs and symptoms of unhealthy periods. But change does not happen in policy alone. It happens in classrooms, conversations and communities every day. You can read the Renewed Womens’ Strategy here: https://lnkd.in/eFiKvQqf

One of our brilliant co-hort members shares how Split Banana’s RSE Leadership Programme has already improved their practice. Our RSE Leadership Programme is a  year-long programme with in-person training and 1:1 strategic support to help you build a safer, more confident school culture. Get resources, guidance and expert advice every step of the way. Our 2026-27 Programme Opportunities: 📍 London - Leadership Programme for Mainstream Schools and Colleges 📍 Portsmouth - Leadership Programme for Mainstream Schools and Colleges 📍 Bristol - Leadership Programme for Youth Practitioners working with SEND young people aged 14–25 Read our RSE Leadership Programme brochures for both mainstream and SEND settings: https://lnkd.in/ek4CbjcK We have a limited time 2 for 1 special offer available if you’d like to sign up two schools or two teachers in one school.

I met Tim Squirrell in 2023 when I was writing my Master's dissertation: 'Re-imagining Masculinities with Young People', an arts based project responding to what I was already noticing in classrooms; an increase in gender essentialist comments like “men are evolutionarily wired to cheat” and “but don’t you want a man to protect you?” Tim and I have had hours of fascinating chats - exploring the origins of the ‘mythopoetic men’s movement’, his research into gamergate, incel communities and various male supremacist ideologies! I've also been learning a lot from working with young people, about how gendered norms and attitudes are changing. Now we're combing our expertise to create a training for educators and youth practitioners - focused on how to deconstruct misogyny with young people. We're encouraging a move away from any quick fix “don’t be sexist” assembly style approach, towards a deeper analysis of the the culture that surrounds misogynistic behaviour, and ways that educators can work together with young people to create alternatives. The online taster training is on Wednesday 13 May, 15:30 - 17:15, £35 https://luma.com/b3wrpzi3. Or get in touch tasha@splitbanana.co.uk for a longer and more interactive session with your organisation!

Thank you so much Catherine Carr for inviting me to take part in About the Girls for Radio 4. There is a distinct lack of news stories about sex which spotlight young people's voices so much, so thank you for getting us involved! Check out the episode here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eDk-uCqj

From “down there” to silence around menstruation, the words we avoid say a lot about how society views women’s bodies. In this powerful opinion piece, Split Banana Youth Advisory Group member M.A. Kole unpacks the stigma around anatomical language and why using the correct terms matters for health, confidence and autonomy. Read more at Pillow Talk Scotland, a charity promoting positive, shame free attitudes towards sex, relationships and intimacy. 🍌 Split Banana will be recruiting a new Youth Advisory Group later this year, so keep an eye out! https://lnkd.in/e8gH9n3b

🎙️We’re on BBC Radio 4’s powerful podcast About the Girls! 🎉 About the Girls is a documentary series in which presenter Catherine Carr spoke to nearly 150 teenage girls about the realities of modern girlhood. In Episode 4: Sex and Consent, Carr joins Split Banana co-founder Anna Alexander in the classroom. Anna shares what our facilitators see every day in schools and colleges: young people are navigating a world shaped by porn, mainstream media, and digital experiences. They are highly aware of the pressures and expectations placed on them, yet often lack the language or confidence to express what they do, or do not, want. Many girls are even prioritising the sexual satisfaction and validation of current or future partners over their own. In an online world where 76% of girls aged 12–18 have been sent unsolicited explicit images (UCL, 2020), we urgently need to ask, what does consent look like in the digital age? Thank you to Catherine Carr for bringing these issues to the forefront and for creating space for young people’s voices to be heard. This series highlights why our work at Split Banana in relationships and sexual health education is so important, helping young people lead safe, healthy, and happy lives. Listen to Episode 4: Sex and Consent now 👉https://lnkd.in/eyeX67s4

From the rise of misogynistic online creators to AI-generated sexual content, it’s no surprise that many adults feel anxious about young people’s digital lives. Since the Age Verification law has come into place, many young people have told us how they are getting around it (VPNs, fake accounts…you name it!). When a ban is put in place, we don’t stop them from seeing porn, we just risk stopping them from talking to us about it. In our latest blog, Split Banana’s co-founder Matilda, explores why restriction alone can create an illusion of safety and how shame-based, anti-porn messaging can silence the very young people who need support the most. To be clear, we aren’t against restrictions, but they can’t come without education. If you work with young people and want practical tools to navigate these conversations with confidence, we’ve got you covered. Our upcoming training - How To: Build Literacy Around Pornography (Wednesday 22nd April 15.30-17.15) is designed to move beyond crisis response and into proactive education. 🎟️ Spaces are limited, book your spot at https://luma.com/5bd05zpw Read Matilda's blog here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eS89GHum

Still a few spots left at our summer How To training series where we're directly responding to the topics teachers need most support with. https://lnkd.in/eDATS4Xk 🌱

Split Banana Education C.I.C. have a special Spring offer on their How To training series, tackling topics which have been coming up a lot. Now is the perfect time to brush up on language, increase your confidence and feel ready for meaningful, inclusive conversations with young people. 🔹 How To: Build Literacy around Pornography, 22nd April, 15.30-17.15: https://luma.com/5bd05zpw 🔹 How To: Deconstruct Misogyny with Young People, 13th May, 15.30-17.15: https://luma.com/b3wrpzi3 If you’d like to attend both training sessions, please use the voucher code 2FOR50 at checkout. Spaces (and the offer!) are limited, so book soon before they run out. We hope to see you there.

Safe with sex ed. It’s that simple. 😊 Young people deserve better. They deserve honest, inclusive, and meaningful education about their bodies, relationships, and identities. We want educators to create spaces where students feel safe to ask questions, share experiences, and have open conversations without shame or judgment. We want sex education that reflects real lives and experiences. It’s time to reshape Relationships, Sex and Health Education. Fantastic Illustration by Ángela Chamorro Acosta X International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) X Fine Acts