What is the Romance Academy?

The Romance Academy is a fifteen-week project supporting and mentoring twelve young people as they challenge themselves and their community cultures with an exploration of the sexual abstinence lifestyle.

You may remember the BBC series which followed the experiences of the young people on the very first Romance Academy. We want to bring all the benefits of that course to the teenagers of the Vale of Glamorgan.

We believe that sexual activity and intimacy needs to be seen in the wider context of relationships - the stronger the relationship, the more value is placed on sex as it becomes part of the language of love and intimacy.

We believe that young people need to be given the opportunity in a safe environment to:

• discover information about sex and relationships
• explore beforehand the consequences of making certain decisions about their sexual health
• discover and boost their self confidence
• know where they stand on issues to do with sex and relationships
• grow in confidence in making decisions that support their values

Our Core Belief

At the heart of the Academy is the belief that sex should be saved for loving and faithful relationships, ideally marriage. We also recognise that as well as understanding the mechanics of managing relationships and sex, young people benefit from exploring what it means to relate as a man to a woman (or vice versa!). The very basics of relationships are explored.

The Pledge

If you agree to join the project, you'll be invited to sign a statement to say that you have chosen to pledge your commitment to the Romance Academy. This commitment involves giving up sexual activity for the duration of the project, holding yourself accountable to others in the group and supporting them in return, and evaluating and challenging current cultural attitudes to sex and relationships.

Self Discovery

Through a series of group meetings and structured, practical education activities, the project focuses on building community within the group and on self-discovery. Unlike traditional PSHE lessons, however, it is most definitely not a taught programme. You'll be encouraged to think and decide for yourself.