How to Start a Drug Prevention Program for Adolescents

Today's adolescent faces many challenges, and it's likely that he will be exposed to drugs at one point or another. How will that adolescent handle the situation? The answer could well lie in what he was taught when he was a child. The only way to ensure that a child will make the right choice is to add layers of prevention beforehand.

Instructions

• 1

  Evaluate the kind of drug problem in the community where you plan to start the prevention program. This will help you to pick the appropriate prevention measures.

• 2

  Determine the risk factors for young people so that you can make your community aware of the seriousness of the issue. Get a feel for the area's willingness to embrace a drug prevention program. This will help you pull together the right resources and fill in any gaps in existing drug prevention programs.

• 3

  Recruit other organizations in the community that offer services for young people. Meet with those who run these organizations. Work together to get ideas, as well as resources, that will be strategically aligned with your prevention program. This is a good way to build on existing resources.

• 4

  Develop both long- and short-term goals that include following through with research-based prevention methods and strategies. Long-term goal setting will help you find future resources, including financial assistance.

• 5

  Study the programs that are already available to see how successful they have been in meeting the needs of the community. It is important to know how many adolescents are being reached by existing programs. This will give you more information about the areas that you will need to change or add to.

• 6

  Join with other organizations that share the goal of adolescent drug prevention. Starting a drug prevention program does not require a brick and mortar location, because you will be working in churches and schools and most likely with other groups. You will want to bring your program to the people you are serving.