|
Introduction
This section of the DEF website provides activities which can
be used to increase the skills, attitudes and knowledge of
the children’s workforce.
It is essential that all professionals working with children,
young people and their families are competent to identify and
address the needs of young people with respect to their substance
misuse.
This includes being able to:
•
identify signs of substance misuse and refer individuals to specialists
•
assess and act upon immediate risk of danger to substance misusers
•
deal with a situation where someone is endangering themselves
or others due to their having used alcohol, illegal or legal
drugs.
Before delivering an activity to young people:
•
Drug education should address the needs of young people and take
account of the young persons existing knowledge, beliefs and
experiences, and consider age, level of maturity, religion and
cultural backgrounds
•
Drug education should enable people to develop their knowledge,
skills, attitudes and understanding about drugs. (link to Drugs:
Guidance for schools (Appendix 2))
•
Always establish ground rules for discussing drugs, alcohol and
tobacco. Students should be made aware at the start of each session
that they are not expected to disclose details of their own behaviour
or that of others including friend and family.
•
Drug education should include details of confidential support
services and helpline on various issues affecting young people
(e.g. bullying, relationships, sexual health) and explain how
they work and develop young people’s confidence in using
them.
•
Schools /colleges should ensure that young people have access
to up to date information from useful sources, which are prominently
displayed.
•
Drug education programmes must have a process in place for young
people and staff to evaluate and comment on content and delivery.
Before delivering an activity to staff/parents and carers:
•
Drug education should address the needs of your audience and
take account of the audiences existing knowledge, beliefs and
experiences, and consider age, level of maturity, religion and
cultural backgrounds.
•
Drug education should enable people to develop their knowledge,
skills, attitudes and understanding about drugs.
•
Given that drug problems rarely occur in isolation, drug education
programmes, resources and support service need to consider a
holistic approach rather than focus solely on drugs.
Disclaimer
LIST OF ACTIVITIES
| |
Title |
Outcomes |
Who activity can be used with |
|
| 1 |
Attitudes
to Alcohol |
• To
explore attitudes and stereotypes linked to drinking
alcohol
• To identify one way of encouraging young people to think about their
attitudes to alcohol use
|
Staff
Young people
|
| 2 |
Carousel-
Attitudes and Communication Exercise |
• To
examine awareness about attitudes to drugs and
drug use.
• To examine awareness of own attitudes and experiences in relation to
drugs and drug use.
• To increase communication skills in relation to drugs and drug use
|
Parents
Staff
|
| 3 |
Personal
Perspectives |
• To increase
participant awareness of their own attitudes towards
substance use/misuse |
Staff |
| 4 |
Communicating
About Substance Misuse |
• To state
the core communication skills
• To explore how communication skills can be transferred to communicate
with young people and/or their parents/carers in relation to substance misuse.
|
Staff |
| 5 |
Consultation
Exercise |
• To plan
how to identify areas for children’s services
to develop, in relation to young people’s substance
use/misuse issues |
Staff |
| 6 |
Signs and
Symptoms |
• To recognise
how substance use/misuse may present itself in young
people
|
Parents
Staff
|
| 7 |
Assessment
Skills – Role play |
• To examine
how existing assessment skills can be transferred
to illicit needs on substance use/misuse |
Staff |
| 8 |
Assessment
Skills – Group exercise |
• To examine
how existing assessment skills can be transferred
to illicit needs on substance use/misuse |
Staff |
| 9 |
Role limitations |
• To outline
the limitations of participants own role in working
with substance use/misuse |
Staff |
| 10 |
Drug History
Icebreaker |
• To acknowledge
and understand that ‘drugs’ are not a
new phenomena |
Parent
Staff
Young People
|
| 11 |
Alcohol Units
and the Human Body |
• To explore
alcohol units and the sensible limits for drinking.
• To increase participants knowledge about how long alcohol remains in
the body.
• To consider the dangers of binge drinking and driving the next day or
other activities involving co-ordination skills
|
Parents
Staff
|
| 12 |
Drug Anagrams
icebreaker |
• To identify
some drug names |
Parent
Staff
Young people
|
| 13 |
Substance
Information
Activity currently being reviewed
|
• To increase
participant’s knowledge of drugs, what they
look like and associated paraphernalia
(Fact sheets available on different drugs)
|
Parent
Staff
Young people
|
| 14 |
Substance
Information Resource Activity
not available currently under review
|
• To increase
participants knowledge of the physical, psychological
and social effects of tobacco, alcohol, legal and
illegal substances, over the counter medicines and
volatile substances |
Staff
Young people
|
| 15 |
Drugs and
the law |
• To state
the law relating to purchasing and consuming drugs,
alcohol, tobacco, and other substances |
Parents
Staff
Young people
|
| 16 |
Cutting
the Grass – Cannabis quiz |
• To have
an understanding of cannabis |
Staff |
| 17 |
Alcohol Quiz |
• Increase
young people’s knowledge on general alcohol
issues
• Icebreaker for young people to have a discussion on alcohol issues
|
Young people |
| 18 |
Tobacco Quiz |
• Young people
awareness of the affects of smoking increases,
• Discuss the health impacts of smoking
• Young people aware of the law on smoking
|
Young people |
| 19 |
Demonstration
of Drunk Glasses |
• Increase
young people’s understanding of their vulnerability
whilst under the influence
• To demonstrate and illustrate the physical effects of alcohol.
• To recognise different risks in different situations and how to deal
and behave in those situations.
|
Staff
Young people
|
| 20 |
Music
Activity – Ooo
Alfie |
• Increased
awareness of cannabis use and its affects.
• Resources promoting local drug and alcohol services are distributed to
young people.
|
Young people |
| 21 |
Drugs quiz
and the law |
• To increase
participants knowledge of the law relating to purchasing
and consuming drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other
substances |
Young people
Staff
|
| 22 |
Drugs Quiz |
• Increase
young people’s knowledge on general drug issues. |
Young people |
| 23 |
Basic life |
• To have
an understanding of basic life support |
Young people |
| 24 |
Guess the
Units |
• Awareness
of units |
Young people
Parents
staff
|
|
|
