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Published: 10 May 2021

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The Dalgarno Institute has long advocated for an anthropological approach to the cultural ‘symptom’ of substance use. Drug use invariably causes (at the very least) some level of harm to both the drug user (their health and well-being) or that of their family and community. On an ever-growing number of occasions, drug use creates a veritable maelstrom of disturbing outcomes and harms – most of which cannot be ‘reduced’, despite the claims of pro-drug advocates. Prevention (denying and/or delaying substance uptake) is the only best-practice for the developing brain demographic.

This is one of the core reasons why our long standing (but relatively small grass-roots movement) has always sought to look ‘behind’ the noise of drug use and its outcomes to origins, motivators and initiates. Anthropologically sound proactive and protective elements have always been part of our community education mechanisms, very much including the understanding of a consistent culture shaping Journey of resiliency building principles, values and relationships with young people and their immediate socialisation contexts.

Engaging All of community – All of the family – with one focus, one message and one voice of deny and/or delaying uptake. Our perception of reality is constructed socially, and that is done through recency, frequency, proximity and intensity. What the young person is immersed in familial and culturally will shape the development of the emerging citizen. So, it is imperative that what focus, message and voice our young people are exposed to on drug use does not create cognitive dissonance or deliver contradictory messaging and modelling in the public square.  Any confusion in this space only diminishes the protective factors of the message. We do not have such cognitive dissonance around tobacco use on our culture, and subsequently demand for cigarettes has plummeted.  All messaging must enable, equip and empower the emerging generation to have greater capacity to develop their humanity, agency and dignity without the drug use, that only undermines these imperatives.

Iceland too understood much of this, and not only the value of the preventative ‘all of community’ approach, but the need for a disciplined, sustained and uncompromised implementation of strategies be bought to bear. (Again much like our successful ‘war on tobacco’) The outcomes, as we already understand from other historical models of ‘all of community’ shaping mechanisms; works.

The following is a link to the overview of this model, which is based in sound anthropological, not merely sociological principles – including Sustainable worldview, meaning, purpose, values and relationships – All things that keep Humpty Dumpty from and unnecessary fragility and self-sabotaging risks.

https://planetyouth.org/the-core-elements/

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Published: 09 October 2019

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DRUG POLICY – CHANGING THE NARRATIVE:

Building or Demolishing Community Resilience?

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Published: 13 December 2018

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Second updated edition

Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/prevention/prevention-standards.html

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Published: 29 October 2015

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THE “NO BRAINER” PROGRAM AND THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM

No Brainer AOD Education Overview

The No Brainer program aims to focus on factors that are best practice for a safe, healthy and more productive community, with particular emphasis on the United Nations aim within their charter for children’s rights that they be Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) free.  The International Declaration of the Rights of the Child: Principle Two states...

”The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration.”

The Dalgarno Institute AOD curriculum education process embraces this imperative. ethical principle within the framework of the Australian Harm Minimisation Drug Strategy, focusing particularly on two of the key pillars of this strategy being DEMAND REDUCTION and HARM REDUCTION.

The Dalgarno Institute (Coalition of Alcohol & Drug Educators) through its “Zero Hero” program for Primary Schools (Years 5-6) and its “No Brainer” program for Secondary Schools (Years 7 – 12) caters for student learning within the framework of the Australian Curriculum.  The following table indicates some of the relevant links to Subjects and applicable Strands or Substrands.

Consequently, a “Zero Hero” or “No Brainer” program presentation can be planned to integrate student learning across a number of subjects and strands; or alternatively can be incorporated as a learning experience in a specific subject.  For example, within Health and Physical Education:

Being healthy, safe and active

No Brainer focuses strongly on the importance of protecting both the developing brain and body during this second most important phase of human development. There is no level of ‘safe’ alcohol and other drug use during the adolescent phase and so key learning and understanding of what informs best practice health, safety and activity for the developmental phase is a key element of curriculum.

Communicating and interacting for health and wellbeing

No Brainer emphasises the need for clear relevant and creative communication of understandings not only to a student audience, but enables equipping for communication between peers.

Contributing to healthy and active communities

No Brainer informs, encourages and equips students with skills and actions which encourage and enable them to contribute to healthy communities through advocacy and other strategies which are embedded within the No Brainer curriculum program.

The following table provides information on some of the aspects of the Australian Curriculum which the Dalgarno Institute “NO Brainer” Curriculum Program addresses:

 

Learning areas	F-10 subjects	Links with the No Brainer Curriculum and Seminar
English	English	Focus on the Literacy Strand, and in particular on the sub strands of Creating Texts and Interacting with Others. In the No Brainer Curriculum and Seminar, as well as receiving and processing information, both visual and aural, students are encouraged discuss their personal values and attitudes toward illicit drugs. They are also encouraged to create texts, both visual and auditory which project positive values and guidelines for preventing harm, both personally and across the broader community.
Mathematics	Mathematics	Most relevant strand is Statistics and Probability. Students are presented with data on consequences of illicit drug use. They can develop their skills in interpreting the data and in some No Brainer activities are encouraged to investigate and report on the implications of data on the impact of prevention of illicit drug use.
Health and Physical Education	Health and Physical Education	Major Focus is on the Personal, Social and Community Health Strand. The No Brainer Curriculum encompasses all three sub strands of Being healthy, safe and active Communicating and interacting for health and wellbeing Contributing to healthy and active communities
Science	Science	No Brainer engages students in “Science Understanding”, particularly in informing students on the biological effects of illicit drug use.  Better understanding and being wise to the effects of various illicit drugs on the body and the brain address several aspects of “Science as Human Endeavour”
Humanities and Social Sciences	F-6/7 Humanities & Social Sciences, 7-10 History, 7-10 Geography, 7-10 Civics and Citizenship, 7-10 Economics and Business	In encouraging students to create positive attitudes towards drug prevention, including the option of saying “No” to drugs, the major focus of the No Brainer program is on the subject: Civics and Citizenship, in particular, it promotes a resilient society through the development of students’ understanding of broader values such as respect, civility, equity, justice and responsibility. However, if students undertake further investigation, then they may address historic, geographic and economic concepts related to illicit drug use.
The Arts	Drama, Dance, Media Arts, Music, Visual Arts	Both in communicating issues and concepts to students, and in students undertaking projects and developing responses to the No Brainer program, there is potential to engage in all aspects of The Arts.
Technologies	Design and Technologies, Digital Technologies	Focus on Technologies and Society substrand within the Design and Technologies Strand.   Students are encouraged to examine and prioritise competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability considerations in the design of solutions to prevent harms caused by illicit drug use which will meet community needs for preferred futures.
Languages	Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Indonesian, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish, Vietnamese	An extension of some of the student activities in the No Brainer curriculum would be to communicate in another language other than English key concepts and ideas about avoiding harmful drugs

 

 

“NO Brainer” Curriculum Program also requires students to exercise and develop their skills and abilities in all aspects of the General Capabilities, namely:

• Literacy,  Numeracy,  Information and communication technology capability
• Critical and creative thinking,  Personal and social capability,  Ethical and Intercultural understanding

PROSPECTUS

For further and full overview of program please feel free to download this PDF

Download Prospectus