"Growing Together" is an immersive, narrative-driven educational feature. Unlike traditional "voorlichting" (Dutch for public education/information) which often relies on dry biological facts, this feature uses interactive storytelling to guide users through the complex emotional and physical landscape of growing up.
The core innovation is the "Romantic Storyline Simulator," a safe, fictional environment where users navigate crushes, boundaries, and communication, applying the theory learned in the puberty modules. Jamie and Sam
If designing an educational module or story: the narrative introduces subtle toxic behaviors.
| Phase | Puberty Education Focus | Relationship Skill | Romantic Storyline Example | |-------|------------------------|--------------------|----------------------------| | Ages 8–10 | Body changes, privacy | Friendship boundaries | Two best friends talk about feeling weird when someone invades personal space. | | Ages 11–13 | Crushes, wet dreams, periods | Asking for consent (small things) | A character asks to share a blanket; other says no, they get another blanket. No drama. | | Ages 14–16 | STIs, contraception, pleasure | Saying "I like you" and accepting a no | A character confesses a crush; the other says "I like you as a friend." The first feels sad but stays friends. | | Ages 16+ | Reproductive health access | Negotiating sexual boundaries | A couple discusses birth control and condoms before anything happens; one says "I’d feel safer with both." They agree. | "Growing Together" is an immersive
Unlike the fear-based or abstinence-focused models seen elsewhere, Dutch voorlichting rests on three pillars that go hand-in-hand:
Scenario: Two 13-year-olds, Jamie and Sam, have been texting for weeks. They meet at a school fair.
In certain storylines (specifically Story 3: The Conflict), the narrative introduces subtle toxic behaviors.