- Tier: Tier 1: Positive mental health promotion
- Category of intervention: Alcohol and drug education programs
- Strength of evidence: Level 4: Established evidence for program (supported by quality research evidence)
- Geographic location: Statewide
Program description
OurFutures Institute provides evidence-based, curriculum-aligned drug, alcohol, vaping, and mental health education courses to secondary school students. The programs are delivered online, using interactive cartoon storylines that are engaging and relatable to young people.
The programs were developed by researchers at The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at The University of Sydney, and use a social influence and harm minimisation approach.
Modules cover Alcohol, Cannabis, Psychostimulants, MDMA, other Emerging Drugs, Vaping and Mental Health. By focusing on prevention, OurFutures looks to step in before harmful patterns of substance use start.
Intended outcomes
- Increased knowledge about alcohol and other drugs
- Reduced intentions to use alcohol and other drugs
- Reduced alcohol consumption and binge drinking
- Reduced harms from alcohol and other drugs
- Reduced cannabis and MDMA use
- Improved mental health
Program details
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| Program provider | OurFutures Institute |
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Implementation considerations
- Target population: The program is designed for secondary school students from Years 7–11
- Program adaptability: The OurFutures modules are designed to be universal, and therefore suitable for youth regardless of risk category. The programs include audio as well as speech bubbles for students that have low literacy or neurodivergent needs. The characters have been developed in consultation with youth so that they represent a cross-section of students from CALD and LGBTIQA+ backgrounds. OurFutures Institute can also offer students access to the Strong and Deadly Futures resource.
- Staffing: Backfilling for staff is not required.
- Training requirements: Teachers and students will require access to computers and internet connection.
- Factors to consider: There is no minimum number of students required. There is a time commitment of 4–6 lessons that are 40 minutes. Staff will be provided with implementation support from a dedicated customer support team as well as resources such as the FAQs and implementation guide.
- Australian context: This program has been developed and applied in Australia. It has proven efficacy from 8 clinical trials with 240 schools and 21,000 students.
Cost
Minimum cost
From under $1,000
Detailed cost
The cost for the OurFutures prevention program for one year starts at $11 per student per module (including GST) and becomes less per student as more students are enrolled in the program. The program cost includes:
- access to the cartoon modules via the OurFutures web portal
- teacher, student and parent summaries
- interactive and additional activities
- teacher implementation guide
- personalised onboarding and information webinars.
Note the OurFutures Vaping Prevention Program is being funded by the Federal Government and schools can order it directly through the OurFutures website.
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