British Boy Scouts Take On Sex Ed

For some Boy Scouts in the United Kingdom, adhering to the motto “Be Prepared” may soon include carrying condoms, or at least knowing how to use them.

The U.K.’s Scout Association Tuesday launched a new, optional program of sex education classes for scouts called “My Body, My Choice,” Agence France-Presse reports.

Designed for scouts aged 14 to 18, the classes are aimed at bringing down the nation’s high rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy. “Britain is the sick man of Europe” in this regard, AFP notes.

The program includes such activities as a condom quiz, a card game dealing with sexually transmitted infections, and a demonstration of fluid exchange using plastic cups and food coloring to show how quickly infections can spread. The association will distribute the course materials to all scout groups, but leaders can decide whether or not to offer the classes.

“We want to help young people become confident, clued up and aware,” Bear Grylls, the nation’s chief scout and a TV host, told AFP. “We only get one body, so respect it and people will respect you.”