Photo: Contributed

UPDATE

The Central Okanagan Board of Education has endorsed a three-month trial period for a condom pilot project proposed through Interior Health.

The project would see condoms handed out to high school students in the district.

Board members agreed at their Wednesday meeting to communicate with all secondary school parent advisory councils and school administrators to determine interest in participation.

Condoms could be handed out to Kelowna high school students under a pilot program proposed by Interior Health.

IH is asking School District 23 to consider the idea and choose a secondary school for the three-month project.

Renee Liddicoat, with Community Integrated Health Services, says the purpose is to provide quality services to youth in the region, which means ensuring they have accurate information regarding sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy.

The project would be a first in the province, and IH is hoping to eventually implement it in six schools in the region.

“We were really interested in doing this project, to ensure our youth have the availability to condoms, as well as the access to sexual health information,” says Liddicoat.

She says research shows the promotion and distribution of condoms to adolescents does not result in earlier or more frequent sexual activity.

“Condom distribution programs can significantly increase condom use among teens who are already sexually active,” she says. “(They) increase condom use in populations at high risk for sexually transmitted infections and have been shown to result in considerable savings related to the medical costs associated with STIs."

IH hopes to pilot the project in the fall, with condoms, condom cards and questionnaires provided to students.

“This will provide us with a standard base of what we would like to do if other schools are interested if after this pilot, (and) we want to expand the program.”

Other schools districts in the IH region have also been approached to participate in the project. Liddicoat says some have already recommended schools to take part, but she wouldn’t say which ones.

The hope is once results have been shared among school districts, schools will include the project in their sex education curriculum.

“We have received interest, across Interior Health, in this project, so we are very excited,” says Liddicoat. She says she has received no negative feedback on the project.

The issue will be discussed at the School District 23 board meeting, Wednesday evening.

Castanet took to the streets to find out what you think about handing out condoms to students and the gauge support for the program.