Becoming a responsible teen (BART) is an HIV and STI risk-reduction programme primarily targeting African-American adolescents ages 14 to 18. It was originally designed for non-school settings. The eight sessions of the curriculum are organized around interactive group discussions, videos and discussions with people living with HIV, as well as role-play to strengthen communication skills. The main objective of the programme is to provide teens with the skills to delay sex initiation and to reduce their risk of HIV and other STIs. Another important aim of the curriculum is to enable teens to become advocates of safer sexual practices in their own community. The programme encourages young people to identify adults they can turn to with questions regarding sex and seeks to make them more aware of their own risk of HIV. BART is gender-sensitive and inclusive of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) youth. It also promotes respect for people living with HIV. The manual is divided into eight chapters, providing the outline for each weekly session of varying lengths (90 to 160 minutes). The manual includes: and introduction on how to use the curriculum, with useful information on where to get additional teaching materials; understanding HIV and AIDS; making sexual decisions and understanding your values; developing and using condom skills; learning and practising assertive communication skills; personalizing the risk of HIV; communicating with friends and family about HIV and safer-sex practices. The manual features a 17-page appendix explaining the theories on which the program is based, its history, research design and evaluation process.