Finding Support: Class Activity

Previously known as Climate Schools, OurFutures was developed by researchers based at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, Australia. See the OurFutures website for more information.

Class discussion followed by individual activity.

• Print or electronically share “Finding support” worksheet (attached) and the "Finding Support Examples" list of hotlines (attached). 
• Familiarise yourself with some of the services students could contact for support (see below).

The aim of this activity is for students to learn about places and resources they can get help from if they feel they are having a problem with alcohol or other drugs. Students are asked to consider existing sources of support within and outside of school. Then, they design a front page of a website for young people looking for help with alcohol or other drug problems. They can draw it or design it in a web-based program.

There are many places that provide help for people who are having problems with alcohol or other drugs. 

• School counsellor
• Year adviser
• Principal
• Community liaison officers
• Teachers.

It is important that young people realise that in the school system there may be limitations to confidentiality. Outside the school, further information can be gathered from the sources listed in the "Finding Support Examples" PDF.

See "Where to get help" for more sources of support. Remember all these services are confidential, and the young person can remain anonymous.

• Students investigate strategies to seek help for themselves or others.

Secondary teachers reviewed this and other OurFutures activities, with 92.3% rating these activities as good or very good. This particular activity was among the most popular activities selected for implementation by teachers.

The benefits of implementing individual activities from OurFutures has not been examined. The benefits of implementing the entire 6 session OurFutures program has been supported by multiple research studies, see OurFutures: Alcohol & Cannabis Module.