First do no harm

Primary Drug Education – First do no harm

Pete KirbyProgramme Development Manager

Coram Life Education

www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk

First do no harmWork with over 3,500 primary schools

See 800,000 children per annum

In UK since mid-eighties

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Feedback via headteacher / Ofsted Inspector

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Three Strand Approach Knowledge

SkillsAttitudes

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What percentage of Y8s in Gloucestershire have never or not often smoked a cigarette?

• 51.4%

• 72.9%

• 96.5%

NB This has increased from 91.9% in 2006

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What percentage of Y10 in Gloucestershire report being OK, good or very good at making and keeping friends?

• 73.2%

• 83.2%

• 93.2%

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What percentage of Y8s in Gloucestershire report having never or not often drunk alcohol?

• 45.3%

• 62.1%

• 85.1%

• And over half of Y10 (53.8%)

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What percentage of Y8s and Y10s in Gloucestershire have not tried illegal drugs

• 78.9%

• 85.5%

• 93.1%

NB This has increased from 90.3% in 2006

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What is the role of knowledge in shaping our decisions?

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“People don’t smoke for the reasons they shouldn’t smoke”

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Do traditional

approaches to health

education work?

e.g. show them what it’s like to be drunk!

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Teach them about responsible drinking – safe units and all that!

Do traditional approaches to health education work?

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Tell them the risks and they won’t want to do it!

Do traditional approaches to health education work?

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Let’s make it really scary!...

Do traditional approaches to health education work?

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…and tell them how bad the scale of the problem is!

Do traditional approaches to health education work?

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What are social

norms?

• Humans are group oriented• We are largely influenced by

and conform to peer norms

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Professor Wesley Perkins:The ‘father of social norms marketing”

www.alcoholeducationproject.org

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVIBfY35dGw

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Social norms theory in a nutshell:

• We are largely influenced by what we think our peers are doing

• Young people (and indeed adults) tend to overestimate the amount of risky behaviour their peers are engaged in

• If you can correct people’s misperceptions of risky behaviour then you can positively impact on those behaviours.

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What’s the problem with this?

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Spot the odd one out

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Spot the odd one out

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Spot the odd one out

First do no harmRevision of our learning outcomes to include:

Understand that bullying is unacceptable, but know that for most of the time, most children do not take part in bullying behaviour, or experience bullying.

Understand that increasing numbers of young people are choosing not to smoke or drink alcohol

Understand the actual norms around smoking / alcohol use and the reasons for common misperceptions of these.

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“The approaches which appear to be most effective are those based on social influences and life skills...”

Drug prevention programmes in schools: What is the evidence? (Mentor)

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The challenge for drug education educators

First do no harm

Primary Drug Education – First do no harm

Pete KirbyProgramme Development Manager

Coram Life Education

www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk