Term 2 2017 Teachers *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|* Positive Choices Issue #9: Keeping you up-to-date with evidence-based drug prevention. View this email in your browser The aim of this e-newsletter is to provide our subscribers with information about new research findings and drug prevention resources, and to share relevant news, conferences and events. Young people seeking advice or help for drug use issues are most likely to turn to their parents, teachers and school counsellors. Our aim is to make sure you are equipped with accurate information and effective response strategies, and this quarter, our feature article focuses on what parents can do to prevent drug and alcohol use. Please help us spread the word by forwarding this newletter to parents in your school or networks, and letting them know about our upcoming webinar on this topic. What can PARENTS do to prevent harm from drugs and alcohol? It may not seem like it sometimes, but as a parent or guardian, you have a big impact on the choices your teenager makes. Research shows that interactions between young people and their parents can have a protective effect against alcohol and other drug use. In particular, parent-child closeness, rule-setting and parental monitoring (i.e. clearly communicated rules about drug and alcohol use, knowing where you teen is and what they are doing) reduce risk of early substance use. Parents' behaviour and their attitudes towards alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs can also have a big influence, so it is important to set a good example and be mindful of the messages that you might be sending. You can read more about what you can do as a parent by reading our factsheets on this topic: How parents can protect against drug use and related harms Talking to a young person about illegal drugs (Guide to effective communication). While there are a number of things that parents can do, our research shows that many parents are not confident in their capacity to prevent their child from drinking alcohol or using drugs. Given the importance of parents and carers in influencing teenagers' decisions, the Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use (CREMS) received funding from the Australian Government Department of Health to develop the Climate Schools Plus program. This new program will be the first to combine student and parent online components to better prevent teenage alcohol and drug use. For more information about the Climate Schools Plus program, and to find out more about how parents and carers can help to prevent substance use among young people, please register for our upcoming webinar. Register for our Webinar - What can parents do to prevent teenage substance use? Dr Louise Thornton and Dana Leidl Thurs, May 25, 2017 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM AEST Factsheet: Drugs & The Law Understanding the law is a challenge - even for lawyers! That's why we developed a factsheet that provides an overview of Australian drug laws for use by students, parents and teachers. Topics include: Possession and supply laws Drug driving laws Police search powers and sniffer dogs Online illegal drug marketplaces New and emerging drugs and the law. Short and detailed versions are available on Positive Choices. Are you interested in faciliator training for the Preventure program? Preventure is a school-based program aimed at reducing adolescent drug and alcohol use and related harm. Preventure was designed for teenagers with personality styles that increase risk of substance use. The program aims to improve personality-specific emotional and behavioural coping strategies. As a teacher, meantal health nurse or school counsellor, training as a facilitator would equip you to deliver the program in your school. To find out more about why personality factors are important in substance use prevention, and how the Preventure program builds personality-specific coping skills, watch our webinar (available on demand): Personality-targeted interventions for prevention: the Preventure program Got a burning question? Check our Q&A. If you can't find the answer you can make an enquiry online or contact us via email on info@positivechoices.org.au. We will be offering training workshops in late 2017. Please register your interest by emailing info@positivechoices.org.au. UPCOMING EVENTS Catch up with the Positive Choices team at our booth/display at these upcoming events. Copyright © 2024 Positive Choices, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list The Positive Choices newsletter is sent out once every term, and contains updates and information relating to the Positive Choices website. Recently published newsletters will take 48 hours to be listed on this page.