DRINK & DRUGS NEWS :: Q&A

You ask the questions - you answer the questions. Please keep your answers coming, and feel free to email a new question.

Thanks to this issue's respondents for their contributions.

Question:

I work in a rural area and am trying to think of ways of interesting local youth in drug safety messages. Many of the young people in our county are spread out without easy access to a youth centre. Can anyone suggest how to get drug and alcohol messages across to young people in rural areas? [Hugh, Cumbria]

Your replies...

Hi Hugh

Ask your local schools for advice. That's the one place that (most) kids will turn up to regularly. Schools I have approached have usually been only too pleased to share thoughts on how to make drugs education more meaningful - particularly of there's anything you can contribute.

In my last job I often visited local schools to take part in lessons with Key Stage 3 (11 to 14-year-old) children. It can be quite rewarding to be directly involved in changing misconceptions.

Tim, Warwickshire

Dear Hugh

Find ways to get information to local young people without having to round them up to meet. It's notoriously difficult to get them to meet regularly outside their chosen peer groups, unless you're offering some flash (and usually expensive) activity.

Distribute messages where they will see them - cards with website addresses on, where they can explore drug safety messages for themselves. As well as the more obvious ones such as the government's www.talktofrank.com, you may find there are sites for local organisations that can lead young people (or their parents) to get in touch with local services if they need more help with a particular issue.

If you search on the web you will find all sorts of excellent websites that offer advice and the chance to ask confidential questions. Barnet DAAT's www.wotzdafactz.co.uk is a good example of a comprehensive local initiative. See if there's anything that would be relevant to your area.

Good luck!

Cheryl, London

Dear Hugh

You could ask local doctors and dentists if they'd be happy to put some leaflets in their waiting rooms. You could also approach schools, although that would have to be done with some sensitivity. Why not try and place posters in any places where young people are likely to go - try asking bus companies and the owners of internet cafes. Finally, what about suggesting to topical local radio programmes and local newspapers that they do a feature on drugs?

Ian Wheeler, patient services manager, Harrogate Clinic.

Dear Hugh

One way to get the drug and alcohol message to young people would be to liaise with your local Connexions Office and ask if there is any education work they can deliver in schools across the area. You could also consider setting up community sessions. Where I work in Fareham, Hampshire, we use community sessions to work with young people and their parents, and this has been positively received by the local school, community and community Police.

I am also aware of a project that took place in the Yeovil area whereby a mobile unit was sent out in the evenings to outlying areas to deliver interactive drug and alcohol sessions. This had a positive impact on substance usage in rural areas.

Simon Defty, Connexions, personal adviser, South Central Connexions

<< Return to main Q&A page

^Top of the page