Learning and Teaching
The aim of this section is to assist schools, student welfare coordinators and teachers to implement ongoing improvement in drug education for their students.
This section contains drug education resources for schools and teachers to assist with drug related issues involving truancy and student retention.
These resources can be used within all four domains of the Physical, Personal and Social Learning strand of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards
Please note where the former Victorian Government Schools Reference Guide is noted in documents please refer to the School Policy and Advisory Guide
School-wide drug education resources
These resources aim to provide schools and teachers with guidelines and assistance in dealing with issues relating to drug use and substance abuse.
Preventing Drug-related Harm: A guide for the Student Welfare Coordinator (PDF - 633Kb) - resource containing guidelines to assist schools and their communities to address issues relating to truancy and the associated risk of problematic substance use.
Retention & Reintegration - Recommendations and Model of Practice for Schools (PDF - 432Kb) - resource providing recommendations and model of practice for schools and family support materials for parents and carers whose child may be involved in drug use.
School retention - What does it take? (PDF - 911Kb) - resource providing guidelines for schools and the broader community to help keep young people under 15 years of age stay connected to school.
Volatile Solvents - A resource for schools (PDF - 365Kb) - consists of health and safety guidelines for schools teaching about hazardous substances.
Engaging students
The following resources are recommended for primary and lower-secondary students.
Get Real - A Harm Minimisation Approach to Drug Education consists of a number of booklets that provide advice and assistance to schools. The booklets provide drug education curriculum, student welfare support and appropriate responses to manage drug-related incidents.
Get Wise - Working on Illicits in School Education
focuses on illicit drug issues.
Get Wise consists of the following components:
- primary and secondary classroom activities
- a guide for principals
- an action manual for student welfare coordinators
- a section on communicating with parents
- an A-Z of illicit drugs for teachers.
Get Wise may be purchased from the Curriculum Corporation (at a cost of $91.95) or you may wish to download sections of the resource at no cost.
- Get Wise - page 1 to 100 (PDF - 6.1Mb)
- Get Wise - page 101 to 200 (PDF - 4.8Mb)
- Get Wise - page 201 to 300 (PDF - 4.8Mb)
- Get Wise - page 301 to 382 (PDF - 3.5Mb)
Also see
Cannabis and mental health: Teacher resource for Years 9 and 10
This Department of Health resource supports the cannabis and mental health online campaign Is Your High Getting You Low? and provides teachers with information, activities and strategies to encourage discussion among students about cannabis and mental health. For information about this resource and the campaign, see: Department of Health - Cannabis and mental health - schools component
Resilience Education and Drug Information (REDI)
The Australian Government has produced a range of school drug education resources that support implementation at a school level. These resources were distributed to all Victorian schools upon their release. To request additional copies see: Resilience Education and Drug Information
START - School Transition and Resilience Training (PDF - 1.6Mb) - provides activities for students who are in transition from primary to secondary school.
In Tune - Students Participating in Drug Education (PDF - 10.0Mb) - brings students and teachers together to work towards a common solution to address drug issues in schools. The In Tune program comprises two parts.
- Part 1 – Youth participation module, a guide for adults working with young people.
- Part 2 – Activities for students being trained to become effective peer-drug educators.
Smoking related resources
Victorian Tobacco Control Strategy 2008 – 2013 - a Ministerial Order has banned smoking on all Victorian government school grounds from 1 July 2009. In accordance with the ban the following smoke-free school resources have been updated to reflect the new policy. The Smoke Free Schools resources comprise three manuals with guidelines and classroom support materials for teachers and schools engaged in smoking-related drug education activities.
Smoke Free Schools Tobacco Prevention and Management Guidelines for Victorian Schools (PDF - 14.5Mb) - the guidelines aim to provide advice to minimise the harm caused by smoking and support the implementation of smoke free policies in schools.
Smoke Free Schools Professional Development Module (PDF - 6.0Mb) - for facilitators working with school staff to assist the implementation of tobacco education and smoke free school policies and practices.
Smoke Free Schools Tobacco Prevention Education Curriculum Materials – A Classroom Approach for Teachers: Years 5 to 9 (PDF - 17.9Mb) - classroom lesson materials for students in the middle years.
A Ministerial Order to ban smoking on Victorian government school grounds took effect on 1 July 2009. The Smoke Free School signs can be downloaded to promote the ban on smoking in Victorian government schools.
The signs are for prominent display throughout the school, see:
Smoke Free School sign (PDF - 147Kb)
Tobacco: A case for action (PDF - 4.5Mb) - an electronic research and problem solving activity for Years 7/8 which aims to educate young people about nicotine addiction prior to experimentation. Students can work individually or in teams to engage in discussions and debate; undertake research; think deeply; and present a coherent and complex argument. This activity complements the Smoke Free Schools resource developed by the Department.
Tobacco Activity Worksheet (PDF - 45Kb) - available for use by students.
Tobacco reforms
For further information or concerns in relation to smoking bans contact the Tobacco information line on 1300 136 775 or see: Tobacco Reforms
Alcohol related resources
Brochures and curriculum materials
Webquest Under age drinking: rating the risk (PDF - 1.5Mb), An Interactive Research Activity About Alcohol for Years 7 and 8 is available for use by Year 7 and 8 students.
This is a research and problem-solving unit of work that encourages students to undertake a comprehensive assessment of alcohol consumption and risk from a range of perspectives. These perspectives include health (safety perspective), civic and citizenship (legal perspective) and interpersonal development (attitudes and values perspective). Students are asked to measure the level of risk and then decide what to do about it. Students will benefit from classroom discussion as well as teacher and peer support, see: Alcohol Activity Worksheet (PDF - 146Kb)
Brochures and curriculum materials
The following brochures and curriculum materials provide information about how students can celebrate safely with their friends and highlights the importance of communication between parents and their children.
Celebrate Safely - Student Brochure (PDF - 1.8Mb) - is based on research with young people and includes tips about celebrating safely and what to do in an emergency.
Celebrate Safely - Student Brochure (Print Version) (PDF - 1.8Mb)
Celebrate Safely - Parent Brochure (PDF - 989Kb) - highlights issues to consider when holding a teenage party, the importance of communication between parents and young people and on being a role model for teenagers.
Celebrate Safely Classroom Materials (PDF - 985Kb) - these activities will assist students to discuss the student brochure Celebrate Safely and to explore myths related to alcohol and other drugs.
Celebrate - Safely Look after your mates (PDF - 368Kb) - a wallet card providing useful contact telephone numbers for Lifeline, Headspace, Drug and Alcohol line, and tips for celebrating safely.
Alcohol fact sheets
For alcohol related Fact Sheets, see: Engaging Parents
Case studies
School Community Approaches to Drug Education (PDF - 566Kb) - booklet of 13 case studies from schools that participated in this initiative funded under the National School Drug Education Strategy.
More information
For information about involving parents in children's drug education, see: Engaging Parents