Earlier this year we began testing the drug education waters in Scotland, to find out whether our drug and alcohol education programme and resources could be useful there, and if so, how we could make this work best. Drug death data in Scotland is the highest on record and the highest in Europe, and the need for effective prevention is vital and urgent. The response from schools, as well as from local practitioners in the field, was very positive, and the opportunity to access good, evidence-based resources and support for schools and students was welcomed warmly.
In May Fiona began having meetings with schools, delivered training to teachers, and became one of the founder members of a newly formed strategic group based in Edinburgh, the Early Intervention and Prevention Group, working together to scope drug education and prevention across the country and to inform government on what needed to be done.
In September, Fiona visited Trinity Academy in Edinburgh to deliver workshops to students and to parents, and to deliver drug education lesson planning and resources which had been specially adapted to fit the Scottish curriculum and framework. This was covered by BBC Scotland and broadcast on The Nine. Ongoing work continues to grow, with further delivery planned, and a two-week tour of a specially adapted production of our play in summer 2020.
