The FEST Alcohol and other Drugs initiative should lie comfortably within a school’s drug and alcohol policy
guidelines.
Ours is a drug using society. We recognise that we live in a drug-using society and that not all drugs are harmful,
and that a lot of the commonly used drugs in society are legal drugs.
Harm Minimisation involves a range of approaches to reduce drug related harm, including the abstinence from
drug use, prevention, early intervention, specialist treatment, supply, control and safer drug use.
Features distinguishing harm minimisation from other approaches are that it:
• Acknowledges that many people in our community use drugs.
• Takes into account the relationship between PEOPLE, the Drugs they use and the ENVIRONMENTS in which
they use them.
A harm minimisation approach does not condone or encourage drug use. It accepts that drug use by young
people is a personal choice that is not within the control of teachers or schools.
This approach recognises that drug use provides varying degrees of risk for the user. It aims to reduce the risks
associated with use and to promote healthy behaviours. It acknowledges that students can be affected by their
own drug use and the drug use of others, including parents, relatives, siblings and friends. The FEST
interactment emphasises:
what are the possible harmful effects of a scenario? and
what strategies could be used to prevent/reduce the harm in this situation?
Harm minimisation
A harm minimisation approach does not condone or encourage drug use.
It accepts that drug use by young people is a personal choice that is not within the control of teachers or schools.
This approach recognises that drug use provides varying degrees of risk for the user.
It aims to reduce the risks associated with use and to promote healthy behaviours.
It acknowledges that students can be affected by their own drug use and the drug use of others, including
parents, relatives, siblings and friends.
All drug use has an effect on the body. Drug use can also affect the lifestyle of the user as well as the lives of
others. The effects and consequences of drug use are determined by:
The Person
The Drug Situation
The Place
WHY THE CHATTERBOX APPROACH?
The FEST series of chatterboxes and associated materials is an initiative to motivate students to think about the
effects of alcohol and drugs on Family life, on their Education, on their Social life and the Trauma it may cause. It
is an initiative to inspire students to be proactive in thinking about and putting into place their own strategies
about dealing with the possible drug scenarios they may be faced with.
The chatterbox will facilitate the delivery of the compulsory 10 hours of specific drug education per
student per year in interesting and pro active way. The chatterbox approach may inspire young adults
to reflect on and instigate positive actions and strategies about matters of drugs and alcohol.
Most students have messed around with chatterboxes of some sort or another and are familiar with the fun way in
which they have been used to communicate jokes, feelings and messages. Chatterboxes are fun. They are easy
to make and are fun to play with and construct.
The chatterbox can be positively used as a most effective teaching and learning tool.
The chatterbox encompasses most of the multiple intelligences in its use.
Visual and Spatial Use of colour, patterns and diagrams.
Verbal linguistic Writing, discussion, description.
Logical mathematical Patterns, logical procedures and sequences.
Kinaesthetic Construction, hands on, movement
Interpersonal Sharing, teamwork, discussion
Intrapersonal Reflection, personal experiences.
The chatterbox is ideally suited for the Visual, Audio or Kinaesthetic learner.
The chatterboxes are fun to make either as a team initiative or as a personal/ individual response or task. There
is ownership in their fabrication and the process and the outcomes involved. The chatterbox can be used as a
personal reflective tool or as a team or shared reflection process. It can be used as a re-enforcement tool or to
investigate strategies or consolidate an idea or direction.
The chatterbox approach to an alcohol and other drugs prevention initiative consists of the following :
FEST FEST (Family, Education, Social, Trauma) Chatterbox
FEST PRAD (Personal Reflection Alcohol Drugs) Chatterbox
FEST (+ - ve) Chatterbox
FEST IPSO (Individual, Place, Situation,Outcome) Chatterbox.
Down load the various chatterboxes together with their appropriate lessons plans.
guidelines.
Ours is a drug using society. We recognise that we live in a drug-using society and that not all drugs are harmful,
and that a lot of the commonly used drugs in society are legal drugs.
Harm Minimisation involves a range of approaches to reduce drug related harm, including the abstinence from
drug use, prevention, early intervention, specialist treatment, supply, control and safer drug use.
Features distinguishing harm minimisation from other approaches are that it:
• Acknowledges that many people in our community use drugs.
• Takes into account the relationship between PEOPLE, the Drugs they use and the ENVIRONMENTS in which
they use them.
A harm minimisation approach does not condone or encourage drug use. It accepts that drug use by young
people is a personal choice that is not within the control of teachers or schools.
This approach recognises that drug use provides varying degrees of risk for the user. It aims to reduce the risks
associated with use and to promote healthy behaviours. It acknowledges that students can be affected by their
own drug use and the drug use of others, including parents, relatives, siblings and friends. The FEST
interactment emphasises:
what are the possible harmful effects of a scenario? and
what strategies could be used to prevent/reduce the harm in this situation?
Harm minimisation
A harm minimisation approach does not condone or encourage drug use.
It accepts that drug use by young people is a personal choice that is not within the control of teachers or schools.
This approach recognises that drug use provides varying degrees of risk for the user.
It aims to reduce the risks associated with use and to promote healthy behaviours.
It acknowledges that students can be affected by their own drug use and the drug use of others, including
parents, relatives, siblings and friends.
All drug use has an effect on the body. Drug use can also affect the lifestyle of the user as well as the lives of
others. The effects and consequences of drug use are determined by:
The Person
The Drug Situation
The Place
WHY THE CHATTERBOX APPROACH?
The FEST series of chatterboxes and associated materials is an initiative to motivate students to think about the
effects of alcohol and drugs on Family life, on their Education, on their Social life and the Trauma it may cause. It
is an initiative to inspire students to be proactive in thinking about and putting into place their own strategies
about dealing with the possible drug scenarios they may be faced with.
The chatterbox will facilitate the delivery of the compulsory 10 hours of specific drug education per
student per year in interesting and pro active way. The chatterbox approach may inspire young adults
to reflect on and instigate positive actions and strategies about matters of drugs and alcohol.
Most students have messed around with chatterboxes of some sort or another and are familiar with the fun way in
which they have been used to communicate jokes, feelings and messages. Chatterboxes are fun. They are easy
to make and are fun to play with and construct.
The chatterbox can be positively used as a most effective teaching and learning tool.
The chatterbox encompasses most of the multiple intelligences in its use.
Visual and Spatial Use of colour, patterns and diagrams.
Verbal linguistic Writing, discussion, description.
Logical mathematical Patterns, logical procedures and sequences.
Kinaesthetic Construction, hands on, movement
Interpersonal Sharing, teamwork, discussion
Intrapersonal Reflection, personal experiences.
The chatterbox is ideally suited for the Visual, Audio or Kinaesthetic learner.
The chatterboxes are fun to make either as a team initiative or as a personal/ individual response or task. There
is ownership in their fabrication and the process and the outcomes involved. The chatterbox can be used as a
personal reflective tool or as a team or shared reflection process. It can be used as a re-enforcement tool or to
investigate strategies or consolidate an idea or direction.
The chatterbox approach to an alcohol and other drugs prevention initiative consists of the following :
FEST FEST (Family, Education, Social, Trauma) Chatterbox
FEST PRAD (Personal Reflection Alcohol Drugs) Chatterbox
FEST (+ - ve) Chatterbox
FEST IPSO (Individual, Place, Situation,Outcome) Chatterbox.
Down load the various chatterboxes together with their appropriate lessons plans.
FEST
Interactment
A CHATTERBOX APPROACH
to an alcohol and other drugs prevention initiative.
In putting this program together we have worked within the Guidelines of the
Department of Education and training.
Interactment
A CHATTERBOX APPROACH
to an alcohol and other drugs prevention initiative.
In putting this program together we have worked within the Guidelines of the
Department of Education and training.
