The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Substance Misuse Education Working Group consists of NHS and Education staff who have worked together to create the ‘Substance Misuse Toolkit’. This online resource contains quality assured substance misuse education resources to support staff working with young people in both education and community settings. Resources include lesson plans, resource packs and relevant websites.
The Substance Misuse Toolkit aims to reduce harm caused by substance misuse by:
- Equipping staff with the knowledge and confidence they require to teach pupils about the effects, risks and consequences of substance use by providing them with a range of materials and methodologies.
- Encouraging learners to make informed choices about alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
- Supporting an age appropriate and inclusive approach to education in relation to substances within the context of a Curriculum for Excellence.
- Identifying evidence based resources and approaches and share good practice with staff across the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
- Ensuring that resources are up to date and fit for purpose.
- Ensuring ongoing quality assurance processes are in place to monitor and further develop the site.
Quality Assurance
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Substance Misuse Education Working Group meets regularly to ensure that resources included within the Substance Misuse Toolkit are evidence based, up to date and of a high standard. The group consults with key stakeholders regarding the accessibility, content, usefulness and areas for improvement.
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Substance Misuse Education Working Group has developed a quality assurance tool to assess the content of resources against agreed indicators. The tool is consistent with the principles and values of local and national policy including Curriculum for Excellence, GIRFEC and the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Education Model. Resources which meet the standards set by this review process are then incorporated into the Substance Misuse Toolkit.
The Quality Assurance Tool Template can be accessed here.
Policy Context
The need to support children and young people to make positive choices about alcohol, drugs and tobacco has been highlighted by a number of national and local policy documents. Substance Misuse Education is a priority within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Alcohol and Drug Prevention & Education Model and is a Health & Wellbeing organiser within Curriculum for Excellence. Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) ensures that wellbeing is central to all of our work in meeting children and young people’s needs.
Further information on the policy context can be found here.