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To create a programme to be taught to young girls in secondary schools to help them understand their cycle in relation to their hormone fluctuations and why they may feel so many different emotions throughout it. To teach them how to track their cycle so that they can learn much more about their bodies and how they work. Natural birth control methods also.
Our Social Issue
The issue is the lack of education in schools regarding the menstrual cycle. There is no manditory module to complete it in detail at junior cycle which is not good enough. The only content is in relation to puberty and pergnancy. There is a huge gap in the system with no education on the different phases of the cycle and how your hormones fluctuate at different times and how this makes you feel very different at different stages of your cycle. There is no education on how to track your cycle to see patterns and become more in tune and no support for 6th class parents or per menstrual teens to help them through the challenges of their menstrucal cycles. We also are concerned about the way Drs treat young girls who attend the surgeries with menstrual concerns. They are often ignored and prescribed the pill to help solve the issue which only makes it worse in the long run. With the lack of education, we do not know what is normal or what is not and we are afraid to speak up and aske questions. We need to be better informed and be able to stand up for ourselves. There is no information on how our cycles can effect so much more than mood and that physical performance and hunger levels can be effected also which can affect athetes. We want a module to be put in place that needs to be address and teachers trained properly on the topic and to have the confidence to teach it. We want the NCCA to put this in place and are correspondance with Minister of Education Normal Foley regarding this. Changes need to be made in JCT as learning outcomes do not specifially cover the menstrual cycle but can explore it. This is not good enough. We want change.
Why We Chose It
We chose our social issue because it is a disgrace that we are not taught this in school. Girls have approx 460 cycle in their life time with no education on what is actually happening in their bodies. The students of the future need quality education on this and the system that is in place now is seriously lacking and is letting their female students down. We could see this gap in the education systme clearly and are passionate about helping our peers now and in the future.
Our Goal
Our big idea is to change the fact that there is a lack of education in schools about the menstrual cycle for young girls and boys . We are creating a module that we hope will be mandatorily taught in SPHE/RSE that will include all the information that is lacking regarding the different stages and hormones fluctuations and how they make you feel. We are creating tracking booklets for girls to use to track their cycles so they can become more in sync with their bodies. we are creating information leaflets for parents of 6th class students.
Our Innovative Action
Suveyed our students, created a pilot group to see the benefits of tracking your cycle. Designing an SPHE/RSE module on the menstrual cycle in full including phases and hormones fluctuations and resulting effects. Creating information booklet for parents to support their daughters. Attending ATU Letterkenny and local primary schools to spread the message there. Delivered presentation to junior SPHE classes as part of RSE modules. Notice board in school. Articles in Donegal news, Donegal democrat, Donegal Daily and on Highland radio to promote message and project. Debated with Norma Foley and Stephen Donnelly on the lack of education available.
Our Impact
We will have a module designed for SPHE/RSE so that every student in ireland will get a quality education in the menstrual cycle that includes the full picture and how it effects their lives. Parents and gardians will also have a better education which will help them to support thier daughters through the information booklets. Our tracking booklets will change lives our students, students to come and those at ATU Letterkenny when they discover how they can be in sycn with their bodies and understand their feelings and moods better through the act of tracking their cycles.