Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. It provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and understand the social, emotional and spiritual aspects of sexuality. When combined with the optional Sexuality and Our Faith component, the guidance is grounded in the context of their Unitarian Universalist or United Church of Christ faith. 

2025 Summer Training for Our Whole Lives: Comprehensive Lifespan Sexuality Education (OWL) Facilitators

We are committed to offering OWL facilitator training each summer so congregations and organizations have access to affordable and timely training. This summer, we are hosting training for community and faith based groups interested in leading OWL programming for youth in Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12.  

Our accessible building is in a community with budget friendly lodging and transportation. Bloomington-Normal, Illinois is located at the intersection of 3 interstates – 55, 74, 39. Our local airport (BMI) has connections to major cities in the U.S. The Bloomington-Normal, Illinois (BNL) Amtrak station is within easy driving distance of lodging and the training location. We can offer limited homestay and help with in town transportation.

This training is accessible for both community facilitators and faith based facilitators. 

Facilitator Training for Our Whole Lives (OWL) Sexuality Education for Grades 7-9, Grades 10-12 

Schedule

• Friday, July 11, 5:30-9:30p  
• Saturday, July 12, 8:00-5:00p with optional dinner onsite 
• Sunday, July 13, 8:00-3:00p   

Cost $400 (add $10 for payment through Breeze) covers supplies, trainer costs, snacks, and 6 delicious meals from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. 

Community Based Trainers are Kathleen Baldwin and Leslie Montgomery. 

Register: https://forms.gle/uQujjh58QfpboKu88

Criteria for Selecting Good Facilitators for Our Whole Lives

The success of the Our Whole Lives program depends on the qualified and caring persons who are selected and trained to be Our Whole Lives facilitators. Keep the following criteria in mind when choosing your organization or congregation’s facilitators:

• Their commitment to value-based, comprehensive sexuality education. A facilitator needs to have values (responsibility, sexual health, responsibility, justice and inclusivity) in harmony with the Our Whole Lives program and goals, and to feel comfortable with their own sexuality.
• Their experience, skill and comfort with the specific age group they will work with and its developmental needs.
• Their anti-bias awareness. A facilitator needs to understand, appreciate, and celebrate diversity of race/ethnicity, culture, age, ability, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. A facilitator needs to have the skills to create a safe and engaging/learning environment.
• Their ability to be an advocate for sexual health and safety. The facilitator must support your organization or church’s safety policies and must follow your state’s process for reporting any alleged abuse.
• Their ability to build relationships with participants, and with their parents and caregivers. Facilitators need to build community in the classroom and develop relationships of respect and responsibility.
• If facilitating in a faith community, the facilitator needs to be a person who is respected by the congregation and comfortable discussing the integration of sexuality and spirituality with members of the faith community. They should be aware of their own spiritual and religious grounding.

At the facilitator’s training, the facilitators are being trained and evaluated. Occasionally our Approved Trainers identify individuals during the trainings that might not be appropriate for teaching Our Whole Lives. Churches and organizations should know that their facilitators may not be approved if there are concerns that arise during the training. If this is the case, the facilitators will be notified directly by the trainers and the congregational or organization contact person(s) will be notified.