Managing Substance Misuse in Schools
🏷️ £90 – £180
📍 Online
Course outline:
It has never been easier for young people to get hold of drugs, and at the time of life when their brains are being rewired and their peers are becoming more significant an influence than their families. Given this – and a backdrop of insidious social media and online content, plus a rise in dangerous synthetic drugs such as Spice – it has never been more important for the adults in the lives of young people to have an up to date understanding of the drugs that are around, know how to spot the signs of use, and be equipped to tackle what can be difficult conversations in order to provide much-needed help, advice and support.
Training Topics
- Current drug trends affecting young people, including synthetic substances such as Spice
- How adolescent brain development and peer influence increase vulnerability to substance use
- The impact of social media, online culture, and digital platforms on drug exposure and attitudes
- Recognising the physical, emotional, and behavioural signs of drug use in young people
- Approaches for having effective, supportive conversations about drugs with young people
Learning Outcomes
- Develop an up-to-date understanding of the drugs commonly accessible to young people today
- Understand why adolescence is a high-risk period for experimentation and substance use
- Identify early warning signs and indicators of drug use or related harm
- Gain confidence in initiating and managing challenging conversations about drugs
- Be better equipped to provide appropriate advice, support, and signposting to further help
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Speaker:
Asha Fowells, Head of Education and Engagement, DSM Foundation
Asha is Head of Education and Engagement at the DSM Foundation, a drug education charity. This role reflects her background as a pharmacist – she qualified in 1998 – and journalist and drugs educator. Asha is involved in the whole breadth of delivery, from students to parents, school staff and other professionals working with young people, as well as training and mentoring drugs educators. She also does a lot of work behind the scenes at the Foundation, including dealing with press enquiries, writing resources, and managing the charity’s communication channels. Asha is passionate about the aims of the DSM Foundation, which is to help young people make safer choices about drugs – everyone should be able to get home safely.
