Education around relationships, sex and health is now compulsory in primary, secondary and state funded schools across the UK. . The Department of Education has published statutory guidance to help schools as they make plans to incorporate these subjects.
The guidance includes specific instructions around mental health, and drug and alcohol education. Like us, the Government’s aim is that every pupil has a full and factual understanding of these issues, so that where possible they can make informed choices as they grow older.
The Government also recognises that providing effective education on such issues isn’t particularly simple and straightforward, and so schools are encouraged to bring in reputable organisations with specialist knowledge to enhance delivery.
After working closely with the Amy Winehouse Foundation, 85% of teachers stated they were more confident in discussing alcohol and drug issues with their pupils. 82% felt they could identify vulnerable students and 77% felt able to refer students on to specialist support.
It’s why our Resilience Programme is exceptionally well placed to help you meet the DfE’s requirements. It can help you to effectively support your students, in a way that also supports you.
The Amy Winehouse Resilience Programme for Schools has been fully and independently evaluated by a team of researchers, from the University of Bath (UK) and Harvard University (US).
This team (which specialises in developmental psychology, and family and young person addiction) surveyed more than 80,000 young people. This is one of the largest school-based alcohol and drug education programmes to have been delivered externally, and evaluated through a charitable partnership, in England.
We engage students in discussing their real thoughts, feelings and behaviours. We help them find ways to address issues such as low self-esteem, poor body image, peer pressure and bullying without their turning to drugs or alcohol.
Drug and alcohol education needs to go beyond the pupil. We believe that everyone in a young person’s life needs to be properly informed about drugs, alcohol and their related issues in order to create an honest and open environment in which informed choices can be made.
We can offer informative sessions to help teachers and practitioners better identify pupils who may be living with parents, carers or siblings that are misusing substances.
We provide brief intervention training for teachers, closely aligned to Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education.
The training explores teachers’ existing knowledge about alcohol and drugs, and provides practical information to identify and support young people who may be at risk of substance misuse.
Topics covered include hidden harm, signs and symptoms, safeguarding, barriers to engagement, signposting and multi-agency working.
Contact us to request more information for your school.
‘Amy Winehouse’ and ‘Amy’ trademarks by kind permission of the Winehouse family.
Amy Winehouse Foundation. Registered charity 1143740 (England & Wales). Registered office: 5a Bear Lane, London SE1 0UH
