A Question about Substance Abuse Prevention Programs at Home
Scott sent in this question:
My son is home schooled and has to do the requirement for second class 7c. The drug awareness part. do you have any suggestions on what he can do to meet this requirement? Any help would be great. Thanks Scott
This is Second Class requirement 7c:
- Participate in a school, community, or troop program on the dangers of using drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, and other practices that could be harmful to your health. Discuss your participation in the program with your family, and explain the dangers of substance addictions.
In a Group or at Home?
While these types of substance abuse prevention programs are often completed in a group setting, your troop leadership should also support letting him do it at home. “Community” can be broadly interpreted. He could do also do a program with his patrol, troop, home school association, etc. if that is an option.
Online Programs
Here are some other substance abuse prevention resources which you could use in a home school setting or within the troop.
Drug Free Generation
Drug Prevention Resources catalogs a number of free resources for education. Topics include alcohol, drugs, vaping, opiods, and more.
D.A.R.E Curriculum at Home
D.A.R.E is one of the best known substance abuse education programs. Their curriculum is available on their website. Choose the appropriate level for your child.
Drugs: A Deadly Game
Check out the BSA substance abuse program . You can order the materials online. They are often available at your local Scout shop as well.
Some of our local schools no longer cover the items for this requirement in 6th grade, when many of them are working on 2nd class. We asked a neighbor, who is a local police officer, to come talk to the boys at the troop meeting. His presentation was brief and concluded with a short powerful video about the fatal affects of drug use.
I went to my local police station and they gave me a copy of the DARE book they used when going to the local schools.
While at the PD I spoke with the community officer and she was willing to come to any location and do a Substance Abuse Prevention Program for us. I put the word out to other troops and we had a class of over thirty scouts attend. The officer did a three and half hour presentation brought in props. reading materials and handouts for the scouts. She did a fantastic job and the adults in attendance were educated as well.
I’m a Scoutmaster in NE Wisconsin. During a meeting, I had our Scouts watch series of videos from http://www.drugfreeworld.org/download.html – I also purchased the age appropriate BSA phamplet that compliments http://www.scouting.org/Home/drugsadeadlygame.aspx – There is a pledge on the back of the phamplet. Once they watched the videos 90min and signed the pledge, I signed off the book. This was the first time we offered this training and the boys seemed to get a lot out of it .
Thanks Mark! This is super helpful, and I’ll be applying the same with my scouts as most of them don’t have such programs offered by their schools