Healthy Relationship Programme Development

In response to calls from parents and community leaders, Shama has created a healthy relationships programme for ethnic young people.

Ethnic young people need strong networks of community around them to mitigate social marginalization, and addressing and celebrating ethnic family relationship and community dynamics are part of healthy relationships for ethnic young people – it’s not all about romantic relationships.

Shama worked with ethnic young people, parents, and caregivers to develop a 10-session holistic healthy relationships programme to meet these needs.  

The Healthy Relationships programme aims to equip young ethnic people with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to foster healthy relationships across various domains, including with peers, family, and within their broader communities. The program’s specific goals include improving participants’ understanding of what constitutes healthy and unhealthy relationships, developing self-reflection and communication skills, and providing practical strategies for managing relationship conflicts. The programme also aims to enhance participants’ ability to navigate cultural differences and identity-
related challenges in relationships, with a focus on strengthening personal and collective resilience.

By addressing topics such as peer support, family dynamics, gender expectations, and community belonging, the programme sees to empower participants to recognize and celebrate positive relationship behaviours while identifying and addressing negative patterns. Ultimately, the programme aims at helping participants build stronger connections with their cultural backgrounds and communities, fostering a sense of pride and belonging.

For more information or to get in touch email prevention@shama.org.nz.