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Drugs and Teen Use     What Schools Can Do      What Parents Can Do      What Parent Volunteers Can Do     What Parent Leaders Can Do

Organize a Parent Meeting at your school

Organize a school-community Workshop

Bring awareness campaign materials into your school

Organize a Dry Grad

Start an After-School Activity that Attracts At-Risk Kids 

Get a Peer Helper Program Started

Get a Mentoring Program Started

Improve your school’s policies and practices on school climate and discipline

Parent Volunteers Can Organize After School Programs

Volunteers can really help their school and other parents to prevent substance abuse by organizing or supporting after school programs, particularly if these programs are interesting to students who may be at greater risk of abusing substances.

These can include:

-                    Youth drop in centers

-                    After school clubs (not only the traditional kind that attract mainstream youth)

-                    Less organized activities such as drop in sports, art classes, music sessions

-                    Engaging youth in programs such as peer helper programs

-                    Involving youth in anti-drug activities such as Dry Grads, Drinking/Driving Campaigns, inviting speakers to speak to school conferences etc 

This involvement in extra-curricular activities has been show to be a protective factor for children and youth. A research review done for the Centre for Youth Engagement Youth Engagement and Health Outcomes has shown this to be true. Data from a US survey Participation on Activities and Drug Use demonstrates the same truth about the value of involving young people in the time period (after school) when they can be quite vulnerable to risks.

For a detailed look at how a community-based youth drop in centre can coordinate with schools and truly engage youth, read this report on the Ottawa-Carleton Youth Drop In Centre sponsored by that city’s Police Department. 

For an extensive look at Youth Engagement Through Schools read through the web pages prepared by the Canadian Association for School Health.

Ideas for School Activities (Addictions Foundation of Manitoba)

School Events Ideas (Addictions Foundation of Manitoba)

Everybody Gets to Play (Canadian Parks and Recreation Association)

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