Schools across the North West are set to benefit from the latest stage of a trial project, tackling drugs education in secondary schools.
Professor Harry Sumnall, an expert in substance use from Liverpool John Moores University, has been allocated a £430,000 grant from the National Institute of Health Research to upscale his project, which was previously piloted in schools across Merseyside and Scotland.
The project will now progress into its next phase, including trials with more schools from across the North West and Scotland.
The Illicit Project, which originally started in Australia, aims to educate students about the effects of drug use, social pressures and how to seek help over concerns regarding substance abuse.
Professor Sumnall said: “It’s not about blaming, it’s not about fear arousal or scare tactics. It’s from very much a science-based perspective.”
The programme is targeted at 15 to 18-year-olds, and delivered through an online platform, meaning teachers do not have to deliver it.
Education on substance abuse is covered as part of the RSHE National Curriculum, but there are often disparities in the quality of its delivery across different schools.
Reflecting on the response from the schools, Professor Sumnall said: “[Teachers] really liked the programme for the fact that they didn’t need to be experts to deliver it, because it’s online delivery, self-directed learning.”
He added: “I think they value it because it’s being led by university experts in substance abuse and young peoples’ health, and it’s potentially going to make a real difference for their students.”
The use of the programme helps to ensure a consistency in teaching of the subject, enabling students to be better informed on substance abuse and its dangers.
Professor Sumnall said: “It’s about skills development. Research tells us that the way to encourage healthy behaviours is not by wagging fingers… it’s to explain why substances might have an impact in terms of young peoples’ goals.”
Looking to the future, there are hopes that if the next stage of the trial is successful, the programme can be rolled out to schools across the UK.
