Abstracts have been prepared for presentations delivered to the following groups:
Year 10 students: Young people, alcohol and risk taking: Looking after your mates
The presentation focuses on why we focus on young people when we talk about risk-taking, particularly in regards to alcohol and other drug use. Many young people access information on drugs from inappropriate sources such as their friends or the media and as a result there is a great deal of mythology around drugs and their use. This presentation will attempt to give accurate, up-to-date and credible information so that informed choices can be made by the young people, with a particular focus on alcohol. Basic life skills will also be discussed around alcohol-related emergencies, particularly in regards to looking after themselves and their friends.
Year 11 students: Alcohol and dangerous situations: What should I do if something wrong?
Building on the information delivered in the Year 10 session, this presentation again focuses on the risks around alcohol use for young people. Continuing to highlight the importance of ‘looking after your friends’, young people are given information on why you can become so sick after drinking and how to deal with a drunk person in the most appropriate way. The presentation also highlights when vomiting becomes life-threatening and gives practical skills in dealing with this situation. The issue of cannabis is also covered, with myths around safer use and the impact of cannabis on mental health being important elements of this presentation.
Year 12 students: Last year at school: What do I need to know about alcohol and other drugs?
With these young people just about to leave school it is vital that they are given a wide range of alcohol and other drug information at this time. This presentation reviews some of the key issues raised during the other sessions, highlighting alcohol poisoning, ‘looking after your friends’ and making the 000 call. With many of the students likely to attend Schoolies’ Week celebrations, such topics as drink spiking and ecstasy use are also covered. It is also important that they understand the laws around the use of illicit drugs and the impact that being caught with an illicit substance can have on their life. With that in mind, roadside drug testing and sniffer dogs are also discussed.
Teachers – Alcohol and Other Drugs and Young People: An Update
The area of drug education is one that many teachers do not feel well-equipped to cover in their classroom. Some teachers express the view that the students know more about the issue than they do, and as a result dismiss the topic if it is ever raised. This presentation aims to empower teachers with some basic information about current trends in alcohol and other drugs to assist them in the classroom setting. It has not been designed to develop teaching skills in drug education but instead improve their basic knowledge in the area and hopefully debunk some of the myths around drug use that exist in the community.
Parents – Alcohol and Other Drugs and Young People: An Update
Many parents, like their children, access information on drugs from inappropriate sources such as the media and as a result there is a great deal of mythology around drugs and their use. This presentation will attempt to give accurate, up-to-date information on current trends in drug use in Australia. The area of drugs is one in which many parents do not feel well-equipped, in fact a recent survey suggested that over 50% of Australian parents have never discussed the topic of drugs with their children. This presentation aims to empower parents with some basic information about current trends in alcohol and other drugs as well as provide up-to-date research on best practice parenting in this area.
