life skills training program

michaelOctober 21, 2019comment (0)

How to Choose the Right Programs for Drug Prevention?

Ever since the 1980s, we have had different types of programs and campaigns whose primary objective was to warn people about the dangers associated with substance abuse. Creating awareness about the effects of substance abuse, the consequences of addiction, and the ways to avoid drug consumption is extremely important, and such programs for drug prevention can help save lives.

The need for drug prevention programs is greatest in communities that have a high incidence of addiction and substance abuse. For children growing up communities or families that have a history of substance abuse and addiction, the consumption of legal as well as illicit drugs can become normalized, even expected. Such kids often face peer pressure and other types of social compulsions that push them down the road of addiction, alcoholism, and drug abuse.

Choosing the Best Programs for Drug Prevention

It can be very difficult, for children and adolescents growing up in these circumstances, to say no to drugs and alcohol. This is because they are surrounded by peers and adults who might turn a blind eye to their substance abuse or even encourage it. In such circumstances, external intervention is required to help such adolescents transition into adulthood without the burden of addiction weighing them down.

This is why choosing the right programs for drug prevention is so important, especially for schools catering to vulnerable communities and at-risk students. Some factors that should be taken into account when making the selection have been listed below.

Length and Flexibility

The length and flexibility of the program and its sections will affect the level of engagement from students that it receives. The best programs for drug prevention are divided into small, easy-to-understand sections that will ease teenagers and adolescents into the realm of drug-prevention without boring them or overwhelming them with information.

Moreover, the program should be self-directed and reasonably flexible for maximum impact. This will allow teenagers to become independent agents in their own lives and enable them to take responsibility for their actions. In turn, this approach will result in greater engagement as students become personally invested in their future development, rather than being passive participants in someone else’s plans.

Presentation Format

The way in which the program is presented to teenagers and adolescents may also make a huge difference in the level of interest, engagement, and follow-through. Handing students a few pamphlets or booklets with the relevant information will result in the message being ignored and forgotten by the target audience.

On the other hand, if the programs for drug prevention are presented in the form of a series of well-made videos, power-point presentations, or even live skits, the impact on the minds of the students will be far greater. Once the adolescents are invested in the narrative or story, they will remember the lessons being imparted for years to come and try to implement them in their own lives.

Research Based Program

All the information imparted within the drug prevention program must be research derived and evidence-based. This will help build trust and credibility, making sure that the teenagers will take the lessons seriously. If such credibility is not there or if the kids can spot any loopholes in the information being provided, they will lose faith in the program and begin questioning all aspects of what they have been taught.

An evidence-based program designed to prevent drug consumption among students will have a much greater and more long-lasting impact, although it might require a greater investment of time and resources upfront. Moreover, it will also provide the students with the resources and materials they need in order to pass on their knowledge to their friends and peers.

Life Skills

Of all the programs for drug prevention available in the market, it is best to choose the one which focuses on the development of life skills in teenagers and adolescents. This is because life skills enable the students to become critical thinkers and savvy decision-makers in their own right. They no longer have to depend on other people to help them differentiate between right and wrong.

Students who have received life-skills training are therefore much more adept at dealing with personal and interpersonal crises and handling peer pressure. They have superior emotional management skills and can make better decisions, even in stressful and potentially dangerous situations. Life-skills training not only helps adolescents avoid substance abuse, it also enables them to handle life and its many problems more skillfully.

In Conclusion

Teachers and school administrators looking for the best programs for drug prevention should check out the websites of some of the most reputed drug prevention institutions in the country, such as Real Prevention. Such organizations have years of experience in the realm of substance abuse prevention, and can therefore design programs that are both effective and easy to administer. Finding the right product may not be easy, but we mustn’t forget that just one great drug prevention program can save hundreds of young lives!

michaelMarch 22, 2019comment (0)

How a Life Skills Training Program Can Help Kids Say No to Drugs

Substance abuse and drug addiction are a major problem plaguing societies around the world. While this problem affects all sections of society to an extent, young people such as teenagers and young adults are particularly susceptible to the lure of substance abuse. There are many reasons why age-restricted and illicit substances such as alcohol, opioids, and cigarettes have such an attraction for young people. These substances provide a sense of adventure and rebellion, helping them stand out while at the same time prompting acceptance and admiration from their peers.

Young people, such as middle and high schoolers and college freshmen, crave the acceptance of their friends and peers and dread being rejected. This makes teenagers especially vulnerable to peer-pressure induced substance abuse. Partying and nights out are a part of youth culture and they can often lead youngsters to consume intoxicating or addictive substances in order to appear cool and interesting to their friends. This can create a pernicious circle of peer pressure, substance abuse, and addiction, which can prove almost impossible for a young person to get out of.

The Role of Life Skills Training Programs

For these reasons, communities and educational institutions should ensure that teenagers receive high-quality life skills training at school. A good life skills training program can have a profound and positive impact on the future of these teenagers, by helping them say no to drugs and escape the peer pressure that might otherwise ruin their lives. A school-based life skills training program can also help teenagers and adolescents learn essential coping mechanisms and social skills early in life, which would, in turn, help them succeed in other areas of their life such as in their future jobs and relationships.

The Social Context of Drug Abuse

Like most social issues, substance abuse is not a problem that exists in a vacuum. There are very real social and psychological factors that cause youngsters to resort to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. Some of these include dysfunctional family dynamics, toxic friend circles, and the inability to deal with academic stress. Social isolation and the rejection of friends and peers may also lead teenagers to try drugs, either as a way to gain acceptance or as an escape route to cope with the stress and anxiety caused by these issues.

Another major social risk factor when it comes to the use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco among adolescents is the influence of mass media. Movies, television shows, and commercials often tend to depict substance abuse as cool, interesting, or even a harmless way to have fun. This can cause children to use drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol due to their desire to emulate their celebrity role models or favorite movie characters. Without the proper education and training, youngsters may never learn how to critically evaluate and interpret the harmful messages disseminated by mass media.

Elements of a Good Life Skills Training Program

There are three major elements or components of a life skills training program, namely resistance skills, self-management skills, and social skills. All three together can go a long way in helping adolescents say no to drugs and thereby avoid addiction.

Resistance Skills

Drug resistance skills are integral to any life skills training program geared towards reducing the incidence of substance abuse among teenagers and adolescents. Drug resistance skills help youngsters to understand and critically analyze the social influences that might prompt them to use age-restricted or addictive substances. Students are encouraged to understand the possible long-term consequences of drug and alcohol consumption, which would then motivate them to push back against peer pressure.

The young adults are also taught ways and techniques to avoid drugs and stay away from situations which might lead to substance abuse. This involves teaching adolescents how to refuse drugs or alcohol offered by their friends and peers, without compromising their own safety or risking physical harm.

Self-Management Skills

Self-management skills are very important because they help youngsters learn to cope with the complexities and problems of life in a healthy and safe manner, without resorting to self-destructive behavior and drug abuse. Academic stress, relationship problems, and social isolation are some of the chief reasons why adolescents resort to substance abuse.

Growing up can be hard, and teenage is a challenging phase of life for most people. Therefore, adolescents facing these challenges must be taught the necessary decision making, problem-solving, goal-setting, and critical thinking skills that will help them deal with their negative emotions in a productive, healthy, and safe manner.

Social Skills

The importance of social skills is often underestimated in relation to the effect it can have on substance abuse. Social skills are important because they help young people form healthy and mutually supportive interpersonal relationships while avoiding friendships that are toxic, abusive, or codependent.

When students learn effective social skills in a life skills training program at school, they can communicate clearly and effectively when they need help, hold deep and meaningful conversations to avoid loneliness and isolation, and also assertively refuse unreasonable requests and stand up for their beliefs. This can make them much less vulnerable to peer pressure, thus helping them stay away from drugs and alcohol.

In Conclusion

Mentioned above are some of the ways in which a school-based life skills training program can help adolescents and teenagers say no to drugs, alcohol, and other types of addictive substances. Therefore, communities and educational institutions should work together to incorporate a life skills training program within the curriculum of every school, to ensure that future generations can be free of the bane of addiction and substance abuse.