Grade 11 Healthy Active Living Education Additional Supports ...

Violence and Risk Taking Behaviour
Public Profile
Unit #3 Activity #6
Teaching Learning Strategy #5
Teacher Resource (Background Information)
Catholic Profile
Unit #2 Activity #4
Teaching Learning Strategy N/A
• Adolescence is a time for exploring, seeking out sensations and excitement. Some
risks can be very exciting (e.g., riding on a roller coaster). Young people with
characteristics related to risk-taking, sensation seeking and impulsiveness are more
likely to be injured. (Robertson, 1992) Health Canada, www.hc-sc.gc.ca
• It is important to remember that different people enjoy different kinds of risk-taking
(e.g., some people like in-line skating and others do not, some people like public
speaking and other people find this intimidating).
Risk-taking behaviour changes due to:
Life Experiences
The ability to handle and take on risk changes because of the experiences gained
and the skills developed over the years. Individuals develop the ability to assess
risk and to assess the potential for harmful outcomes that may be associated with
that risk.
Choices to be made
Individual choices can change the risk associated with situations and activities.
These choices can modify the risk and prevent or minimize the potential for
harmful outcomes (e.g., at a party drinking pop instead of beer, or drinking one
beer slowly instead of having five or more).
Other peopleÕs actions:
Risk also changes because of the actions of other people around us (e.g., someone
has agreed to be the designated driver for a group, but then has four or five
drinks).
Risks and Choices- Thinking Ahead and Thinking on your feet!
When individuals think about the many different choices they have (before being
in a situation as well as during that situation), it is easier to decide what to do and
to be aware of what could happen.
For example; before the party- Thinking ahead: ÒYou and some of your friends
are going to a party where there will not be any adults. One of your friends is
going to drive you all there, but you know that in the past this friend has got
drunk. What back-up plan can you set up ahead of time so that you get home
from the party safely?Ó
During the party- Thinking on your feet: ÒThe friends you came to the party with
are really out of it. What can you do to get yourself home safely? Are there
things you can do for your friends?Ó
Adapted with permission from Toronto Public Health, Risk Taking Teaching Package,
1998
Grade 11 Healthy Active Living Education (PPL30), Module #3 Violence and Risk Taking Behaviour
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