Unity Temple Oak Park

We offer the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program, a values-based sexuality curriculum, which has been developed for various age groups across the life span. UTUUC offers elementary and junior high levels on a regular basis, and other levels (through older adult) as possible. All are taught by trained OWL facilitators.

Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual 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. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives not only provides facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps participants clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.

Developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ, Our Whole Lives uses approaches that work. The curricula are based on the Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education produced by the National Guidelines Task Force, a group of leading health, education, and sexuality professionals assembled by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). Although developed by two religious organizations, Our Whole Lives contains no religious references or doctrine.

The Our Whole Lives values are:
  • Self-Worth
  • Sexual Health
  • Responsibility
  • Justice and Inclusivity
Each level of Our Whole Lives offers:
  • Up-to-date information and honest, age-appropriate answers to all participants’ questions
  • Activities to help participants clarify values and improve decision-making skills
  • Effective group-building to create a safe and supportive peer group
  • Education about sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment
  • Opportunities to critique media messages about gender and sexuality
  • Acceptance of diversity
  • Encouragement to act for justice
  • A well designed, teacher-friendly leaders’ guide
  • Parent orientation programs that affirm parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children
  • Sexuality and Our Faith, an optional religious component for Unitarian Universalist and United Church of Christ settings

For more information on the Our Whole Lives program at Unity Temple, email Rev. Emily Gage egage@unitytemple.org or Val Ridenour vridenour@unitytemple.org.