A scheme providing free breast education support to UK schools is relaunching during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Schools across the UK are being encouraged to sign up to a free initiative which aims to educate young girls on breast health.
is relaunching this October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, following a hugely successful pilot scheme.
The project provides teachers with credible, reliable and evidence-based information, which has been packaged into . It was developed by researchers at the 窪蹋勛圖, St Mary's University in Twickenham, London, and the University of Chichester.
It began in 2015, when the team surveyed over 2,000 schoolgirls aged 11 to 17-years-old to learn more about their breast concerns. revealed 87 per cent had at least one concern, and the same number wanted to learn more about them (1).
By empowering girls with knowledge and awareness, we believe that girls' body confidence, health and participation in physical activity can be significantly improved
Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, from the Research Group in Breast Health at the 窪蹋勛圖, said: We believe that girls deserve to receive comprehensive breast education, beyond the biological aspects of puberty taught in schools.
Breast development can be a positive milestone in the development of the female body, but it can also be an embarrassing and confusing time. Girls can go through periods of self-consciousness, negative body image and low self-esteem as they navigate these changes.
By empowering girls with knowledge and awareness, we believe that girls' body confidence, health and participation in physical activity can be significantly improved.
also revealed almost half (44 per cent) had concerns about breast cancer, 72 per cent wanted to know more, and 77 per cent rated the topic as extremely important (2).
Adolescent girls are an important target group for breast cancer awareness as it supports them to develop healthy habits to take into adulthood, added Professor Wakefield-Scurr.
But as our research shows more needs to be done to help educate them, and thats one of the reasons why we wanted to produce these fantastic resources."
The feedback we have received from teachers and schoolgirls about our Treasure Your Chest resources has been really encouraging
So far the resources, available free of charge, have been downloaded more than 300 times by a variety of schools, clubs, organisations, and parents.
and the Research Group in Breast Health, added: The feedback we have received from teachers and schoolgirls about our Treasure Your Chest resources has been really encouraging.
We would love to see them being used in classrooms up and down the UK, but our overall aim is for the project to influence policy. Eventually, we want to see breast health education become a mandatory part of the curriculum.
This week, the Treasure Your Chest website has relaunched to encourage more schools to get involved. The resources have also been updated and include comprehensive slides, discussion topics, interactive tasks and videos.
Example of the new Treasure Your Chest resources
They can be delivered in classrooms in one 60-minute session, or split into three 20-minute sessions. Educator guidance is also provided to help tailor delivery for different students and groups.
Trial lessons have already taken place across five schools in London. Out of the 408 girls who took part, 98 per cent reported an increase in breast knowledge, 90 per cent reported more positive attitudes towards their breasts, and 100 per cent of the teachers said they would embed the workshop into their curriculum.
The first school to show the new resources was Park Community School in Leigh Park, Hampshire. Year 10 students were taught by Professor Wakefield-Scurr and their Deputy Headteacher Laura Cavanagh.
Treasure Your Chest launch
Schools across the UK are being encouraged to sign up to a free initiative which aims to educate young girls on breast health.
is relaunching this October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, following a hugely successful pilot scheme.
The project provides teachers with credible, reliable and evidence-based information, which has been packaged into . It was developed by researchers at the 窪蹋勛圖, St Mary's University in Twickenham, London, and the University of Chichester.
[UK schools are being encouraged to sign up to a free initiative to educate young girls on breast health]
[The Treasure Your Chest project provides teachers with free resources that can be downloaded online]
Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr: This is a collaborative initiative between the 窪蹋勛圖, St Mary's University Twickenham, and the University of Chichester. We've piloted these resources in a number of schools and demonstrated that it can improve knowledge and also improve self-esteem and self confidence, body confidence. But actually today is all about the rollout now, about trying to spread the word about these resources and hopefully get more schools to download the resources and use them.
[The first school to try out the new resources was Park Community School in Hampshire]
Teacher addressing the class: So all these things suggest there's no such thing as a normal breast.
Teacher: This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to be part of that launch and for the campaign that is so important for so many young people to understand how to recognise changes in themselves, but also empower themselves to be strong, independent young ladies really.
Student: I find it very helpful to like know different bra sizes and that there's different like types of sports bras and that it helps when you're doing physical activity.
Student #2: When I first went into it I thought it was definitely going to make me laugh because it was going to be all funny pictures, and then I went into it and did it, and I found out a lot of things I didn't know and things didn't necessarily speak about beforehand.
[Does your bra fit you correctly?]
Treasure Your Chest narrator: Do you know how to tell if your bra fits you correctly?
[5 simple steps]
Treasure Your Chest narrator: It's important to check the fit of your bra regularly, so here are the 5 simple steps to do so
[Visit treasureyourchest.org to find out more]