Children’s Programme

In 1997, WCC launched a primary school project with the theme, ‘Towards a Violence Free Society: Say No to Sexual Violence’. Various activities such as talks and seminars were organised for teachers and students to increase their awareness and address the problem of sexual violence. As part of the project, WCC worked with Young Theatre Penang to conduct a drama roadshow entitled ‘Ok Tak Ok’ in several primary schools in Penang. Using the Theatre-In Education technique to communicate, children actively participated in the drama scenes. The drama taught the children to distinguish between what is a good touch and a bad touch and how to respond to possible situations of sexual abuse.

The dramatised scenes used in the roadshow were put together based on research and discussions on child sexual abuse with teachers, parents, NGO activists and State education officers. The drama was performed in interactive sessions with some 4000 Standard five students (boys and girls). As follow-up, the teachers were each given an educational kit on the subject and requested to take one or two periods in class to introduce this material to reinforce the children’s understanding and dispel any doubts arising from the performance.

Bijak Itu Selamat (Be Smart, Be Safe) Programme

With the feedback and discussions from school teachers and principals, WCC went on to develop an educational package Bijak itu Selamat, and launched it in Penang in June 2001. This package was designed to enable teachers, school counsellors and educationists to teach children to be aware of the dangers of child sexual abuse. This package is specially produced for children between 10 and 12 years of age and consists of following materials:

The education package is sold for RM25 (inclusive of RM5 for register post). Please contact WCC for further information

Primary School Programmes

WCC uses the ‘Bijak itu Selamat’ (BIS) package to conduct personal safety programmes in primary schools. The programmes consist of a one-hour interactive session and a half-day workshop. Both programmes are suitable for Standard Five and Six students inclusive of boys and girls.

The objective of primary school programmes are to:

  1. Create awareness in children about preventing sexual abuse
  2. Help them differentiate between good touch and bad touch
  3. Teach them what steps to take if they are in a risky situation
  4. Encourage them not to keep secrets which make them feel uncomfortable
  5. Urge them to inform a trusted adult who can help them

One Hour Personal Safety Programme

Session 1: Introduction

The session begins with the facilitator asking them what they know about personal safety, and brainstorming with children some of the safety rules they already know. Then the children are introduced to the WCC video, ‘Ok Tak Ok Siri 2’ by informing them that they are going to watch a video on personal safety which focused on their body, touches, and feelings.

Session 2: Video Viewing

The children watch the video and the facilitator pauses the video at various sections to ask questions to re-emphasise the safety messages. The video session ends with a recap of the safety messages they have learnt from the video and able to identify names of trusted adults whom they can disclose.

Half-Day Workshop on Personal Safety

Session 1: Poster Design on Safety Rules

Students are divided into small groups and asked to create posters on safety rules they usually practise in places such as home, school, beach, playground, and roadside. Students are encouraged to write down a minimum of three safety rules on their posters. Their posters are then presented to the group as a whole.

Session 2: Video Viewing

Students will be gathered in a big group to watch the WCC video, ‘Ok Tak Ok Siri 2’ on prevention of child sexual abuse. In this session, students learn about feelings, that feelings can help them differentiate good touch and bad touch and safety measures to take if they are in risky situations.

Session 3: Trust Tree

In this session, students will be given apple-shaped pieces of paper to write down the names of adults whom they trust and paste them on the trust tree. This activity helps students identify trusted adults in whom they can confide if they are in dangerous situations.

Both the one hour programme and half-day workshops have been conducted in both national and vernacular schools and recently the workshop was modified to reach out to hearing impaired children as well.

Training for Educators

WCC has been actively conducting prevention of child sexual abuse training and workshops for educators, caregivers, and parents. The BIS package is used as part of the training to teach participants how to conduct prevention programmes for children. The training begins with an introduction lecture on ‘What is Child Sexual Abuse’, and continues with a short game on ‘Perception and Reality of Child Sexual Abuse’. At the third session, participants watch the WCC video ‘Ok Tak Ok Siri 2’; the second half of the day is spent briefing them how to use the video to run a personal safety programme for the children. Each participant is given a dry-run to practise what they have learnt. The one day interactive training is conducted by WCC staff and trained facilitators.

WCC is regularly invited by government agencies and NGOs to conduct prevention of child sexual abuse training for school counsellors, educators, and care-givers. Apart from training primary school counsellors on prevention programmes, WCC has now begun conducting training for pre-school teachers to reach out to children of a young age on prevention of sexual abuse.