DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAMMES FOR SCHOOLS

Schools in high cannabis growing regions in New Zealand will be the first to benefit from drug education programmes from the beginning of the new school year Minister of Education, Wyatt Creech, announced today.

"There is no quick fix to teaching young people about the risks of drug overuse. Research shows that the most effective drug education programmes are those which are part of ongoing health education programmes in schools, where the school and the wider community is 'on the case' continually," Mr Creech said.

The Government has awarded the first contracts in a three year $3 million programme for drug education in schools. The contracts have gone to the Auckland Public Health Research Unit of the University of Auckland; to three drug education organisations DARE, FADE, and GAIN; and to Specialist Education Services of Upper Hutt. (The Life Education Trust withdrew itself from consideration from this funding but will be continuing to offer their usual programmes to schools)

Programmes will be delivered in Northland, Bay of Plenty, East Coast and Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, West Auckland, Porirua and Nelson where there is a high correlation between cannabis growing and school suspensions and expulsions. The work of these organisations will be integrated with the draft health and physical education curriculum.

"The programmes will co-ordinate drug education in schools and the community. This approach is considered to be the most effective combination to reducing harmful drug use in young people," Mr Creech said.

"Drug abuse can have a devastating impact on young people, affecting their physical and mental wellbeing and their ability to concentrate and learn. The programmes will help equip young people with the information and self-confidence to say 'No' to the use or misuse of drugs.

"This new drug education initiative in schools will work alongside a number of other initiatives such as the Special Education 2000 Project, the Truancy Project, the Strengthening Families Programme and the Crime Prevention Strategy aimed at supporting at risk young people and their families," Mr Creech said.

The organisations will provide programmes in the five priority regions of New Zealand along the following lines:

Provider Services
FADE
Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Education The provision of professional development for teachers in the five regions and the development of resources which support the new health and physical education curriculum. FADE will also continue to provide similar professional development for teachers in other areas utilising other funding sources.
DARE
Drug Abuse Resistance Foundation of NZ (Associated with NZ Police) The development of two new resources (one on smoking and the other a programme developed specifically for Maori students) and the revision of their two main programmes to be consistent with the new health and physical education curriculum.
GAIN The development of GAIN programmes in three of the five priority areas in which GAIN currently does not operate to provide services in all of these areas. Programmes train community members to work with and support families.
Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit, Auckland University Uni-Services The coordination, development and evaluation of professional and resource development services of five community providers: Health Action (Nelson) Hokianga Health Enterprise (Northland) Whangaruru Area (Northland) Waipareira Trust (West Auckland) Opotiki Safer Communities Council These programmes will develop models of drug education that integrate the community, family/whanau and schools.
Specialist Education Services, Upper Hutt Coordination of drug education services to schools in the Porirua area and the development of an assessment tool which will assist in determining which students may need more intensive drug education/interventions.