Have you ever heard comments like “men don’t cry” or “throw like a girl”?
Have you ever seen someone catcalled on the street? Have you ever felt like your high school consent education didn’t leave you feeling empowered, and maybe even a little bit under-equipped?
So have we.
Have you ever seen someone catcalled on the street? Have you ever felt like your high school consent education didn’t leave you feeling empowered, and maybe even a little bit under-equipped?
So have we.
In 2016, at the age of 19 years old, we decided we wanted to do something to change this. That’s how Consent Labs began. As two young women, we felt so passionately about the need to foster a society where sexual violence was not the norm; where young people of all genders didn’t have to experience violence and even more than that, where young people were empowered to engage in good quality, fulfilling and respectful relationships.
We had a clear vision of the future of sex education, and we dove head-first into making this a reality. We spent hours and hours speaking to other young people to figure out what they wanted to see out of their education, building relationships with experts to better understand what the research demonstrated, and bringing all of that together into one youth-led and evidence-based program.
Yes, we were doing this alongside full-time university and then full-time work; no, we didn’t have much of an idea about how to start a business. We were just incredibly clear on our vision.
We won’t lie, our first launch in 2019 was rough. We found we were often dismissed merely as a result of being young, and we received rejection after rejection by education institutions who were hesitant to change the status quo. However, we kept advocating despite the pushback, because we knew wholeheartedly that young people were demanding a change and deserving of a change.
2021 was a turning point. As a result of sustained national advocacy efforts, awareness of the need for consent education was spread throughout Australia. Angelique took a leap of faith, leaving her career to become the Consent Labs’ first employee and CEO at 24 years old.
It’s been 10 years, and neither of us have looked back since.
We had a clear vision of the future of sex education, and we dove head-first into making this a reality. We spent hours and hours speaking to other young people to figure out what they wanted to see out of their education, building relationships with experts to better understand what the research demonstrated, and bringing all of that together into one youth-led and evidence-based program.
Yes, we were doing this alongside full-time university and then full-time work; no, we didn’t have much of an idea about how to start a business. We were just incredibly clear on our vision.
We won’t lie, our first launch in 2019 was rough. We found we were often dismissed merely as a result of being young, and we received rejection after rejection by education institutions who were hesitant to change the status quo. However, we kept advocating despite the pushback, because we knew wholeheartedly that young people were demanding a change and deserving of a change.
2021 was a turning point. As a result of sustained national advocacy efforts, awareness of the need for consent education was spread throughout Australia. Angelique took a leap of faith, leaving her career to become the Consent Labs’ first employee and CEO at 24 years old.
It’s been 10 years, and neither of us have looked back since.
– Angelique Wan, CEO & Co-Founder, and,
Dr. Joyce Yu, Executive Director & Co-Founder
Our journey
How We Got Here
2016
While studying at university, our co-founders Angelique Wan & Joyce Yu saw firsthand how sexual violence was normalised among young people and in society. Refusing to accept this as the status quo, they co-founded Consent Labs with a vision: to empower young people with the knowledge and tools to build healthy, respectful relationships and prevent sexual violence before it starts.
2019
Consent Labs officially launched! The road wasn't easy, and Angie & Joyce heard 'no' more than once – but they refused to give up. They knew change was not just needed – it was demanded by they young people they were fighting for. And so, they pushed forward!
2021
First program delivered in a school! It was just the beginning of something BIG! By the end of 2021, we had reached over 10,000 young people, parents, carers, educators and staff with our suite of programs.
2022
We delivered programs in every single state and territory across Australia! (Yes, EVERY state and territory!) We had reached more than 29,000 people – and the momentum was building more than ever.
2023
Our impact soared over 60,000 – each person empowered, educated and inspired to actively change the culture around sexual violence.
2024
In May 2024, our growth continued with the opening of our second headquarters in Melbourne, Victoria, marking our expansion into Victoria. By November 2024, we hit an incredible impact milestone – OVER 100,000+ young people, parents, carers, educators, and staff empowered through our suite of programs.
Healthy Relationships require open communication...
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