Our Whole Lives - Lifespan Sexuality Education
Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive, age-appropriate sexuality education program created by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. Rooted in Unitarian Universalist values of love, justice, respect, and interdependence, OWL helps children, youth, and adults develop knowledge, confidence, and compassion as they grow into healthy relationships with themselves, others, and the wider world.
For many families, conversations about bodies, relationships, identity, and sexuality can feel important, joyful, and sometimes challenging. OWL is designed to partner with families and caregivers in these conversations—offering honest, accurate information in a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment where learning can happen with curiosity and care.
Grounded in the Unitarian Universalist understanding that each person is worthy of love and respect, OWL encourages participants to ask questions, reflect on values, build empathy, and deepen their understanding of responsibility, consent, justice, and belonging.
What Families and Participants Gain from OWL
OWL supports children, youth, and adults in:
- Building self-worth, confidence, and healthy body awareness
- Developing respectful communication and relationship skills
- Understanding boundaries, consent, and personal safety
- Learning accurate, age-appropriate information about human sexuality
- Exploring identity, gender, and sexual orientation in affirming ways
- Practicing empathy, compassion, and respect for diversity
- Strengthening decision-making rooted in care and responsibility
- Understanding sexuality through the lens of justice, inclusion, and human dignity
A Partnership with Families and Caregivers
We recognize that families and caregivers are often a child’s first and most important teachers.
OWL is designed to support—not replace—those conversations. The program creates opportunities for families to engage in learning, reflection, and dialogue together, helping children and youth feel supported both at home and within the wider community.
Programs by Age and Stage
OWL offers curricula designed for different stages of life:
- Children (K–1 / Grades 4–6) - Learning about bodies, families, safety, relationships, identity, and the changes of growing up in developmentally appropriate and caring ways.
- Youth (Grades 7–9 / Grades 10–12) - Exploring identity, values, relationships, communication, consent, justice, and sexual health in supportive peer communities.
- Young Adults & Adults - Reflecting on intimacy, relationships, life transitions, communication, identity, and sexuality as part of lifelong growth.
- Older Adults - Exploring aging, relationships, embodied wisdom, sexuality, and care through the later stages of life.
Rooted in UU Faith
As Unitarian Universalists, we believe that how we care for ourselves and one another is spiritual work.
OWL reflects our commitment to building beloved community—where honesty is met with compassion, diversity is celebrated, and every person is encouraged to live with integrity, respect, and love.
In OWL, we nurture not only knowledge, but also wisdom: helping participants build lives rooted in healthy relationships, mutual respect, justice, and deep care for the interconnected web of life.
In the fall of 2026, we are offering two OWL programs:
Kindergarten / Grade 1 OWL
Parent orientation: Sunday, September 28 from 12:30-1:30
Parent and child orientation: Sunday, October 5 from 12:30-1:30
Program sessions: Sundays, October 19 – December 6 – from 12:30-1:30
Young Adult OWL (ages 18–35)
- October 17: Sessions 1–3
- October 24: Sessions 4–6
- October 31: Sessions 7–9
- November 7: Sessions 10–12
- November 14: Sessions 13–15
- Times each day: 10:00–12:00; 1:00–3:00; 3:30–5:30
If you would like to learn more about upcoming programs, registration, or ways to support OWL in our congregation, please contact owl@calgaryunitarians.ca
