OurFutures' Effective, Evidence-based Drug and Alcohol Program

For better or worse, alcohol and other substances are part of many of our cultural rituals, that probably won’t change. But preventing young people from setting off on a self-destructive path by equipping them with information about the dangers associated with intoxication and illicit drugs has to be a good thing.

Experimentation with substances use usually begins during the early teens. If harm is to be minimised, schools will need students to engage with drug and alcohol prevention programs.

But how do you engage students on this challenging topic? How do you know your current approach is actually working? What is the best way to educate and inform young people and equip them with the right tools? Do you have the right expertise? What do you do? 

Evidence Based Drug and Alcohol Prevention
Led by Ken Wallace (CEO), Professor Maree Teesson AC and Professor Nicola Newton, OurFutures Institute offers a series of drug and alcohol prevention resources that were generated after in-depth research and evaluation at University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use.

The program uses online interactive cartoon storyboards to talk about substance use and were co-designed with more than 210 young people and more than 390 teachers, parents and health and education experts to ensure they are relevant, believable and engaging.

“We know that peer groups are particularly important in the teenage years, and this is a key focus of OurFutures. The characters in the cartoons are around the same age as the target students and that lets us deliver peer-led messages which can be more effective at driving behaviour change among young people compared to having the messages delivered by an authority figure.

“We also emphasise the importance of looking out for your friends throughout the storylines. There are then opportunities for group discussions to reflect on the key messages and practise skills they have learned,” Prof Teesson says.

The results of randomised controlled trials indicate that the program is effective in reducing substance use and harm, and those effects endure into the participating students’ twenties.

Development of the Alcohol Module began in 2002, and since that time, there have been eight randomised controlled trials investigating the OurFutures Program including 240 schools and >21,000 students across Australia. This represents some of the largest trials in the prevention field. See more at https://ourfuturesinstitute.org.au/the-evidence/ for the list of findings and papers, and https://ourfuturesinstitute.org.au/about

“What sets the OurFutures program apart is the rigorous research studies that have evaluated its effectiveness. This is important as a recent independent review found OurFutures was one of only two school-based alcohol and other drug education programs with a strong evidence base,” says Prof Teesson.

“The OurFutures prevention model is based on a social influence and harm-minimisation approach to prevention. This involves providing evidence-based information about alcohol and other drug use and related harms, normative education to correct misperceptions on use, and resistance skills training.

“By focusing on prevention, we look to step in before harmful patterns of substance use start. The program also challenges young people to think critically about how contextual factors like perceptions about cultural expectations, marketing tactics or peer pressure influence young people, and it empowers them to develop skills and strategies to resist societal pressures and make positive decisions for their health and wellbeing.”

Prof Teesson has an extensive resumé and is Director of the Matilda Centre and Director of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Prevention and Early Intervention in Mental Illness and Substance Use (PREMISE), and an NHMRC Leadership Fellow at the University of Sydney.

Colleague, Prof Nicola Newton is an NHMRC Career Development Fellow and Director of Prevention at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney. She is also Prevention Lead at PREMISE and Vice-president for the Alliance for the Prevention of Mental Disorders.

The Program and Resources
The OurFutures program’s online interactive cartoon storyboards and class activities are designed to engage and educate students. Through the cartoons, students follow the lives of a group of young people around their age who impart knowledge and skills that students can use in their own lives.

“There are many advantages of online program delivery, it’s more engaging to students compared to traditional lecture-style learning. It also overcomes common problems in face-to-face programs, like ensuring the key components are delivered as intended, and that it is not dependent on teacher training or skills. The program can be easily updated to align with the latest evidence and readily accessed regardless of where the user is,” Prof Newton says.

OurFutures currently has five web-based modules available, including Alcohol; Alcohol & Cannabis; Cannabis & Psychostimulants; MDMA & Emerging Drugs; and Mental Health. Each module consists of 4-6 lessons, ideally delivered one week apart. The lessons include the online cartoon component (approximately 20 mins) which is typically completed individually by students.

Embedded within the cartoon storyboards are interactive reflective activities and quizzes to ensure student engagement, comprehension and critical thinking. The cartoon is complimented by teacher-led activities (approximately 20 mins), with a range of options available to allow for different delivery formats and preparation times (e.g., web-based activities, worksheets, class discussions and role plays).

OurFutures takes a staged approach to prevention with the aim of reaching students prior to the onset of harmful alcohol and other drug use, the Alcohol program is recommended for Year 8, Alcohol & Cannabis: Year 8/9, Cannabis & Psychostimulants: Year 9/10, MDMA & Emerging Drugs: Year 10 which can also be delivered in Year 11 as a wellbeing initiative and Mental Health: Years 8/9/10.

The OurFutures program is intended to be delivered during health education class, however it can be used in other classes (e.g., home room) and settings (e.g., youth groups). Each module is mapped to the NSW PDHPE Syllabus and Australian HPE Curriculum.

New OurFutures Vaping Trial
Building on the effective OurFutures prevention model, the team are now conducting the first trial of a school-based eHealth program to prevent vaping in Australia. The OurFutures Vaping Program includes four lessons consisting of an interactive online cartoon component (approximately 20 minutes) and teacher-led class activities (approximately 20 minutes). The study will be run in 42 schools across NSW, WA and Qld, commencing in Term 2 this year. If your school is interested in OurFutures please contact them https://ourfuturesinstitute.org.au/contact