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Sex guidance for scouts | Top |
Scouts are to be given advice about sex after the Scout Association released new guidelines this week. Group leaders, especially those working with explorer scouts, aged 14 to 16, are advised to arrange various activities, including visits to sexual health clinics, discussions about contraception and ways to develop confidence to resist unwanted peer pressure to have sex.
The guidelines are a response to requests from leaders who have been approached by members asking for advice about sex. Critics say scouts should stick to traditional activities and that the guidance will encourage young people to become sexually active. Chief Scout Peter Duncan stressed the need to “be realistic and accept that around a third of young people are sexually active before 16.”
Discussion ideas
> A 17-year-old scout said she felt it was “more meaningful” to discuss sex in a relaxed environment like scout groups, as well as at school. Do students agree? Which environments do they think are suitable? Talk about who they would go to for accurate information and advice about sex. What qualities would they want that person to have?
> The Association wants its members to be given the information needed to make safe decisions about sexual relationships. Do students think they have the information they need? Would they welcome some of the activities suggested in the guidelines? Talk about different sources of information – biology lessons, peers, parents, television – and which are the most reliable.
A charity volunteer was shot and killed in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Monday by two gunmen on a motorbike. Gayle Williams was walking to her work with the British charity SERVE Afghanistan, which supports people with sight, hearing and other physical disabilities.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing, saying it was “because she was working for an organisation which was preaching Christianity”. The charity’s chairman Mike Lyth said the claim was “opportunistic” because Williams took a different route to work each day and the charity has a policy of not preaching Christianity. There have been three similar assassinations carried out by men on motorbikes in the southern city of Kandahar in recent weeks.
Discussion ideas
> Some say Afghanistan is too dangerous a place for aid workers to be. Twenty-eight have been killed this year, including five international workers, and 72 have been abducted. How difficult is it for charities and individuals to assess the risks involved? How can the risks be reduced? If an aid agency feels it cannot protect its staff from attack, it may be forced to reduce the number of workers. Discuss what that means for those living in the conflict zone.
> How important is it for aid organisations to be impartial? Discuss the principles of humanitarian aid. It is given impartially and fairly, regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the recipients, according to need alone. Aid agencies try to avoid using military protection for staff. Why might this be? Talk about the impression protection from the armed forces would give.
More resources
>> Try the quick activity looking at motivations of humanitarian aid workers.
The abuse of disabled parking badges is to be addressed by new government measures, it was announced this week. The blue badge scheme, which gives parking concessions to people with severe mobility problems, is used by 2.3 million people. Local authorities believe up to half of the badges are used illegally by relatives of the badge holder and one in 200 are stolen.
The department for transport’s £55 million plans will make it easier for councils in England to confiscate stolen or forged badges and question drivers they suspect of cheating the system. Local authorities will share data on badge holders to reduce fraud and technologies such as barcodes will be added to badges to make forgery more difficult. A fairer assessment process will be introduced, and the scheme extended to ensure everyone who needs a badge gets one, including people with serious temporary mobility problems.
Discussion ideas
> How important do students think having a blue badge is to people with mobility problems? Talk about shopping trips, visits to see friends, getting to work and accessing health services. In what ways does the badge make people’s lives easier? Discuss other options – taking taxis, public transport, or services such as online supermarket shopping. Discuss how students feel about getting around. Do they like to be independent? Talk about other things that would make life easier for someone with mobility problems.
> Discuss the misuse of the blue badges. Why does it matter if non-disabled people use designated parking spaces? Why should relatives of someone with a blue badge only use the concession when they are with the badge-holder? Can students think of privileges they have been awarded at school or at home? What are the consequences of abusing these?
More resources
>> Read the briefing for teachers about the social model of disability.
People living in temporary shelters after losing their homes to Cyclone Nargis five months ago are in need of more substantial homes according to the UN’s IRIN news service. The materials used for the emergency shelters only have a lifespan of six to 12 months, and the plastic sheeting that forms the roof and walls is already deteriorating and leaking.
The cyclone totally destroyed 450,000 houses, but most households cannot afford to rebuild because they have exhausted their savings or because materials such as thatch are not available. Families are worried about the onset of winter as the cold penetrating unsubstantial walls will affect the health of children and the elderly.
Discussion ideas
> Most houses that were destroyed were made of less substantial materials such as wood and bamboo. A fifth of people affected were considered ‘vulnerable’ – families of pregnant women, the sick, the elderly and people with disabilities. What does this tell students about how people are affected by natural events like cyclones? Do they affect everyone equally?
> Despite a rapid response to the cyclone by aid agencies, UN-HABITAT says donors need to be convinced to fund the building of longer-term shelters. Why do students think this work is harder to raise money for than the immediate work following a disaster? How much do we hear about the work that goes on in the months and years afterwards? Demonstration shelters will be built to include ‘disaster risk reduction’ features. Talk about how this will help the resilience of households in the event of floods and cyclones.
More resources
>> Read the briefing for teachers about discrimination in disasters, and the assembly and activities produced after the Myanmar cyclone.
News think! is one of a number of free educational services produced by the British Red Cross. You can find more resources at www.redcross.org.uk/education
Have you used these topics to raise discussions or plan classroom work? Let us know your experiences or thoughts by emailing us at reducation@redcross.org.uk | 
