Nesian Narratives - Designing curriculum resources to enhance Relationship and Sexuality Education for Pasifika children: a study protocol.

Abstract

Introduction: An environment where children and young people are happy and healthy, have what they need, are loved, safe and nurtured are three of the six outcomes of the 2019 Aotearoa New Zealand Child and Youth Wellbeing strategy.¹ An important area of wellbeing that is often overlooked is sexual health.  While there are unique cultural understandings of sexuality, sexual health covers an extensive range of behaviours and issues such as feelings, relationships, communication, consent, and violence.  Positive sexual health can be fostered in many settings, including formal education.  However, studies in Aotearoa NZ reveal tensions in the delivery of quality sexuality education.  Research with Pacific communities reveal issues such as cultural roles, values and expectations largely influence sexual health knowledge and understanding.

Methods: This study protocol describes the overarching research framework guiding Nesian Narratives, a Pacific-led project that seeks to develop a resource toolkit consisting of curriculum lesson plans and resources to enhance Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) for Pacific children aged five to six years.  Funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) and jointly hosted by Moana Connect and the University of Auckland, this three-phase project is underpinned by a Pacific methodological approach that involves talanoa and talanga with key stakeholders (phase 1).  In phase 2 Pacific educators and the research team will develop the curriculum resources, and the final phase (3) involves testing and exploring the scalability of the resources with Pacific communities.

Conclusion: Nesian Narratives addresses a range of Pacific health aspirations.  This study protocol signals key elements when engaging in a collaborative design of a Pacific relationship and sexuality resource toolkit with, and for, Pacific communities and provides communities, programme planners and future researchers insights to support the positive advancement of sexual wellbeing for Pacific communities.