PDF (Lessons learned in drug abuse prevention: a global review)

LOCAL
Aims:
To prevent drug abuse in students through changing their knowledge, attitudes and
behaviour with regard to drugs; and to improve their mental health.
Main activities:
● Translating the original materials into Greek and adapting references or examples
that did not refer to Greek situations: The project uses educational materials for
teachers from different teaching disciplines to teach health education and drug abuse
prevention at the secondary school level. Given that, at the start of the programme, no
time had been allocated in the school curriculum to health education activities, this was
a novel approach. The materials have been translated and adapted from Swedish and
English materials. 5 6 7 8 9 10
● Training teachers over a period of 5 days to use the educational materials.
● Applying the materials in the school setting with a focus on working on the
personal attitudes and beliefs of students regarding smoking, alcohol and drugs
as well as other health issues: The teachers use the materials in the classroom to
improve the development of psychosocial skills, with the aim of promoting interpersonal
relations among the students, with their parents and with other people in the community.
● Organising extra-curricular activities combining entertainment with active
participation by the students: These activities are carried out by the teachers and the
project manager, and include weekend excursions, trips to the theatre, sports and
exhibitions on health subjects developed by the students in the classroom.
● Involving parents and the community in the project by organising events and
activities aimed at informing and mobilising the public on health issues: These
events are mainly discussion sessions or lectures scheduled to take place in the evenings
or weekends so that parents can attend.
Monitoring & Evaluation:
Teachers were monitored weekly through contact with the project manager. The outcome
evaluation was carried out by comparing the test school to a control school.
The material was applied in two secondary schools and their surrounding communities
over three years, as part of the framework of a cross-national feasibility study. This
involved testing the feasibility of the project through assessment of its development and
acceptance by the teachers, pupils and parents involved.
Outcomes:
Number of children /youth reached: 1000
COVERAGE
Number of peers/mediators/educators/teachers etc. trained: 70
Number of families reached: 380
Number of institutions/associations involved: N/A
● Teachers:
The application of the programme in the classroom met with difficulties caused by: insufficient
teacher-training in active learning methods; the insufficiency of educational materials;
and the negative attitudes of a number of teachers in implementing pilot projects without
Sources: 5 Washburn, L. 1979. What do you think: Swedish Course on attitudes and Values. National Board of
Health and Welfare. Stockholm, Sweden.
6 Dorn, N., Thompson, A. 1985. Facts and feelings about Drugs but Decisions about situations. Institute for the
Study of Drug Dependence. United Kingdom.
7 Evans, M. Rice, B. Gray, G. 1984. Free to choose. Health Education Council. TACADE. United Kingdom.
8 Rice, B. 1981. Smoking. Pictorial Charts Educational Trust. TACADE.
9 Rice, B., Gray, G. 1984. Alcohol Syllabus 11-16. TACADE.
10
Williams, T. 1979. Think Well. Schools Council Project: Health Education 9-13. Thomas Nelson and Sons.
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