Substance Abuse and Schools in Canada: A Round Table April, 2008 A Prevention Strategy for Canada’s Youth

Background & Context  The National Framework for Action outlined 13 priorities areas  We are proposing a process for youth that mirrors the strategies already developed for Alcohol, Workforce & Treatment:  Cross-Canada consultations  Thematic Workshop  Meetings of a Working Group of multi-sectoral participants  Discuss and expand on results of the thematic workshop and discussion papers;  Reach consensus on a vision and approach;  General consensus reached on Recommendations  Move to Implementation

3 National Anti-Drug Strategy (NADS)  Prevention  Treatment  Combating illicit drug production and distribution  Prevention Action Plan is the youth component (focused exclusively on illicit drugs)  Health Canada’s Mass Media Campaign  National Drug Prevention Awareness Committee (NDPAC)  CCSA’s Drug Prevention Strategy for Canada’s Youth

4 CCSA’s Drug Prevention Strategy for Canada’s Youth  Goals: to reduce illicit drug use in Canadian youth aged  Builds on the knowledge and experience of a broad, multi-stakeholder group of those involved with prevention and youth development in schools, families and communities  Three Deliverables:  Canadian National Standards  Media/Youth Consortium  Sustainable Partnerships/Youth Prevention Strategy

Media /Youth Consortium  Uniting national media corporations and organizations who market to youth, as well as organizations that provide services to youth to extend and reinforce consistent prevention messages.  This approach delivers messaging directly to youth in two ways:  Through the organizations that work with youth in their environment, and  Through the media that market to youth  The consortium is designed to complement and expand on Health Canada’s media awareness campaign 5

Media /Youth Consortium  Progress to date  Working with DRAFTFCB, an international marketing communications agency, to develop a validated strategic approach to communication messaging and materials  Currently testing four unique “strategic territories” through online survey and focus group with youth ages  Development of a draft operational structure that is responsive to key priority areas and leverages existing communications materials and delivery channels  Moving forward  Finalize operational structure  Identify key priority area and approach key partners 6

Moving Towards Our Objectives  Foundation Work to Date:  Substance Abuse in Canada: Youth in Focus  Prevalence Data  Stakeholder Survey  Standards  Early Offers of Partnership  Commitment to making the most of what we have:  Connecting the dots, expanding the network of partners, building a long term sustainable approach 7