Our Whole Lives

Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive, kindergarten through adult, sexuality education curriculum series which is based on a philosophy of comprehensive sexuality education. It has been designed to help participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behaviors. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas:

human development
relationships
personal skills
sexual behavior
sexual health
society and culture

Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, comprehensive sexuality education provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps learners to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, social, and political aspects of sexuality as well, helping them to make informed and value-based choices.

All who participate in the Our Whole Lives program can know that their congregation cares about sexuality as a God-given part of life.

Curriculum materials are available for K-1, Grades 4-6, Grades 7-9, Grades 10-12, and Adults.

New! Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators
A free downloadable resource from UCC Resources

Under Your Wing: 8 short videos for parents/caregivers of 5-7-year-olds to aid in conversing about their bodies:
   Teaching Young Children About Bodies
   Teaching Young Children About Gender
   Teaching Young Children About Body Boundaries
   Teaching Young Children About Families
   Teaching Young Children How Babies Begin
   Teaching Young Children About Pregnancy
   Teaching Young Children About Babies
   Teaching Young Children About Disability

Resource page from the Under Your Wing series

OWL Overviews
   OWL At a Glance
  OWL Principles
  OWL Values

OWL Overviews by Age Group

Download the OWL 2022 brochure for all age groups

Sign up to receive the Our Whole Lives e-newsletter!

OWL Taking Flight- a playlist of over 20 webinars to assist you with tips for starting your owl OWL program and training facilitators.

Our Whole Lives Values coloring pages from Illustrated Ministry

National UCC OWL Contact Person: Amy Johnson (johnsona@ucc.org)

The Gospel According to Sex Ed - a blogpost by Allison Connelly-Vetter in Church Anew
"OWL is lifesaving work."

UCC Daily Devotional Group Discussion about Our Whole Lives by Rev. John Edgerton

The leader training helps prepare teachers by developing comfort, knowledge, and teaching skills necessary for leading a given level of Our Whole Lives appropriately and effectively. Trained leaders receive a discount on OWL curriculum materials! Training is required in order to teach this curriculum for the following reasons:

It offers the opportunity to see Our Whole Lives activities modeled by trainers as they were intended to be conducted.
It gives leaders a supportive environment to practice teaching and to receive constructive feedback.
It allows leaders to network with other Our Whole Lives leaders and to share ideas about what will and won’t work with their groups.
It provides an opportunity for leaders to get in touch with their own feelings, opinions, and experiences regarding sexuality.

To be certified as Our Whole Lives teachers, individuals are expected to:

demonstrate a commitment to a values-based, comprehensive sexuality education;
have a willingness to affirm the Our Whole Lives program goals, values, and philosophy;
have an ability to provide a safe, engaging learning environment; and
have an appreciation for working with people of diverse races, cultures, ages, abilities, and sexual and gender orientations.

At least two adults are required to be present at all times whenever Our Whole Lives is taught. Therefore, if a church or organization wants to teach Our Whole Lives, at least two adults (preferably different genders) need to attend a training.

Evaluation: Trainers will be evaluating participants on facilitation skills, comfort with the materials and behavioral appropriateness.

For more information about Our Whole Lives and the current list of trainings, please visit: https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/justice-local-church-ministries/justice/health-and-wholeness-advocacy-ministries/sexuality-and-our-faith/justice_sexuality-education_our-whole-lives