– Projects – Schools Programs
#NotEvenOnce®
Schools Programs
The unique seminars, focusing on demand reduction, a vital component of the National Drug Strategy 2017/2026, are created within the framework of the Australian Curriculum and are presented using creative pedagogy.
“the seminar was significantly effective in increasing the knowledge, understanding about the connection between behaviours and values, and the likelihood of not engaging with alcohol and drugs.” Professor, Independent Evaluation, Australian University
Delivered into Primary Schools, High Schools and Colleges, the comprehensive seminars provide students and teachers with current scientific, medical and statistical information on the issues surrounding drug and alcohol use, particularly on the impact of AOD use on the developing brain.
Utilising coalface experience of intervention and rehabilitation; interwoven with personal stories of staff working in the AOD space and graduates that have walked in addiction, the seminars provide powerful learning forums, empowering students to choose to say no to drugs and alcohol and have a solid context for this choice.
What #NotEvenOnce is not, is a glorification of substance use and its related lifestyle.
Teen Challenge Australia's experience in rehabilitation places us in a unique position to speak with authority on the very real consequences of substance use which can have life long, irreversible damage to physical, mental, emotional and relational areas of a persons life. It often and unfortunately ends the lives of many young Australians, which we see personally, daily.
Many of our graduates are personally still facing these consequences, rehabilitation is not a guarantee to cure all consequences or likelihood of relapse of substance abuse.
Being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, rehabilitating those in addiction for over 46 years, we recognise the need to build resiliency, understand causation issues and equip students with alternate coping mechanisms, empowering them to recognise alcohol and other drug use as often a "mask" for social, mental, physical and emotional issues, thus building fences and steering them away from the cliff of addiction.
#NotEvenOnce® aligns with existing schools health curriculum, bringing a professional "external face" and ties the students learning together and brings it to life in a very personal way.
Recent program outcomes evaluation of the #NotEvenOnce® Project by an Australian University (contact us for details) revealed many of the schools had a significant "knowledge gap" in the AOD space.
“There were significant differences across schools particularly in relation to knowledge about alcohol and drugs.” and “some showing significantly lower levels of knowledge, values and abstinence intentions.” Professor, Independent Evaluation, Australian University
The evidence shows #NotEvenOnce® bridges this gap and aids schools in bringing the students to the level of understanding they should be at.
“..the seminar has a capacity to “catch up” schools that may be lagging behind..” and “..the seminar evened the knowledge across schools. Shift across the three subscales (Knowledge, Values, Intentions) was significant at each age/grade level..” Professor, Independent Evaluation, Australian University
We understand a single seminar is not going to "fix" the issue. #NotEvenOnce® is recommended to be completed each year as we journey the students through seminars tailored to their development level. Material is always up-to-date and latest real world evidence.
In addition, through our alignment with the Dalgarno Institute, we are able to link schools with effective, complete "real world" curriculum for teachers to deliver within health programs, thus increasing the impact of the seminars and building deeper resilience within young people.
The #NotEvenOnce® School Film Competition has been designed to help students and schools take the "next step" following a presentation. We see students and teachers passionately activated following seminars wanting to make a difference and reach peers.
The #NotEvenOnce® School Film Competition enables a creative engagement for young people to express their passion and become powerful, positive change agents amongst their peers and communities. Effectively driving a movement to turn many young lives away from addiction.
it is common for students to seek help following a #NotEvenOnce® delivery in their school, as they recognise potential causation signs in themselves or even loved ones. We assist as a catalyst to engage the students into the existing services provided in the school and local service providers. Teen Challenge centres can assist externally as support to schools if requested.
The #NotEvenOnce® project has now been delivered to 54,417 NSW, QLD, VIC, WA and TAS students.
Students ranged from grades 5-12.
“The majority of students found the seminar to be helpful to the way they think (66.5%) and may act (65.3%)” Professor, Independent Evaluation, Australian University
#NotEvenOnce® deliveries are modified for the size of the venue and group and can be targeted to particular school requirements
#NotEvenOnce® 2.0 in action
#NotEvenOnce® school projects, educate students in highly engaging, multi media school seminars which include:
#NotEvenOnce 1.0 & 2.0: For year 7 & 8 students and is a basic introduction to alcohol and other drugs:
Overview of some of The What – The How – The Why of drug use.
Specific and intensive focus on specifically how different drugs impact the body and brain and includes tactile exercises to assist retention.
Drugs focused on in this seminar/s are Alcohol, Cannabis, ICE, Ecstasy and other ATS.
Looks at causation issues and foundational aspects for developing resiliency around AOD issues.
#NotEvenOnce 3.0 & 4.0: For year 9 / 10 students. Content focuses on:
Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) use and the issues and the impact on the natural environment and climate change.
AOD use and the issues of social justice and responsibility in both the local and global community.
That global citizenship is about ensuring justice for the marginalised and vulnerable on the planet, particularly the poor and children and understanding of what drug use does to those key demographics.
Continues to focus on resiliency from a community perspective.
#NotEvenOnce 5.0 & 6.0: For year 11 and 12 students. Content focuses on:
Heads UP’ for students getting ready to step into the ‘unregulated’ world (outside school).
Looks more closely at resiliency issues and decision making, including potential psycho-social ‘anchors’.
Challenges the thinking of students to develop logical and evidence based frameworks for decision making around AOD issues in often complex, yet ill-conceived peer and boundary-less environments.
Builds on resiliency issues addressed in previous seminars.
#NotEvenOnce® programs for Primary Schools are also available.
Seminars are 60 - 90 mins in length.
Vaping & AOD Webinars
NotEvenOnce Projects in addition to our popular in person incursions can be delivered to Teachers, Parents and Students via Interactive Webinars. This format allows remote schools or Covid lockdowns to not stop important AOD education to occur. If technology allows we incorporate Kahoots into our presentations to allow for fun interaction and test understandings and real time learnings during the delivery.
Currently Vaping is a significant issue with our young people and is only the tip of the iceberg in Australia of what is coming. Our highly informative Vaping Webinars help educate Teachers & Parents in this space and are highly recommended prior to Student incursions to better equip Parents & Teachers for the conversations that will come after student sessions.
To find out more or to book your Webinar click on the “Open Form” box and please complete the form below and one of our team will be in touch soon to discuss further your requirements.
Keep an eye on our Events Page too as we have Webinars available from time to time that you can join in.
What Teachers have said about the Teacher Vaping Info Webinar
“Loved it all - well organised and presented and supported all questions and queries”
“Tanya spoke really well, with a good mixture of facts, statistics, as well as visuals”
“Based on this presentation, I’d like to see them on any of the topics you work with”
“Excellent presentation for making staff aware of the dangers.”
“Thoroughly enjoyed the presentation & way you presented it. It was one of those presentations that I could have listened to for much longer than the hour.”
“Fantastic presentation, the time went too quickly and I was very engaged throughout the whole session.”
#NotEvenOnce® Seminars for Parents/Teachers/Community Members
We believe strongly that it takes a community to raise a child, that includes the influences on young people, both good and bad. Much of the information that is available today around the impacts of Alcohol and other Drugs on us and particularly to the developing brain of adolescents were not known by my generation (I grew up in the 80's & 90's). We also were not exposed as readily to the levels of Drug use and misuse and indeed the vastly more potent drugs available today, for example:
Did you know the THC (mind altering component) content in Cannabis today in comparison to that available in the 80's is almost 250% higher*? it's an entirely different drug!
Did you know that ALL young cannabis users face psychosis risk? Article here
Did you know alcohol is a significant risk factor for some cancers, particularly those of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, breast, bowel and liver? Cancer Council Position Statement
Some of this information will be very new to many people, there can be a variety of mixed messages our young people hear - even from home.
#NotEvenOnce® aims to assist parents, teachers and community members get up to date with the latest information as their children are within the schools programs. The Seminars for Parents, Teachers and Community members are designed to educate on Alcohol & other Drugs effects on the brain and body. Signs to look for with your young people and loved ones. Equip with tools to have conversations and help build resilience in your families.
Combined with the #NotEvenOnce® Schools Projects a Parent/Teacher seminar will ensure influential people in your young peoples life are on the same page and can have meaningful, open discussions and positive influences in this space. It is time to challenge some of the culture in our communities and together we can make a very real difference for our future generations.
Please note: Teen Challenge Australia, whilst a faith-based organisation, respects the secular environment of state schools, all our schools based programs are secular unless requested to deliver a non-secular version within non-secular schools.
Teacher Testimonials
“#NotEvenOnce is, by far, the most powerful presentation I have seen in schools as far as educating students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. It combines scientific data (what drugs do to young brains/bodies) and the personal experiences of the staff of Teen Challenge in working with young people struggling from drug and alcohol problems. The presentation engages the kids and gets the message across powerfully and effectively. Having a former drug addict from Northern Tasmania stand in front of our Grade 9/10s telling them about the decisions they made and the severe consequences of it really struck a chord with our young people and brought some of them to tears. All the theory our students had learned in class about the dangers of drugs now has a heartbreaking face and a personal story to it. #NotEvenOnce also gives solid strategies to students that will help combat the pressure or need to experiment with drugs. If every student can hear this presentation, I have no doubt that there will be young lives in our state that are positively impacted and changed. This is an absolute must for every High School’s Health program.” Teacher
