People Against Substance Abuse Kleinmond

In 2010 we invested in a multi-media package called “BOUND” and received training to facilitate the life skills programme in schools. The package consists of a short film of about 16 minutes, manuals and various other DVD’s that we use to impact young people’s lives. This program is endorsed by the National Qualifications Authority and endorsed by the Provincial Drug Forum.

The manual is written out of the four main scenes of the movie and extensive research has been done on all aspects of teenage smoking, drinking, risky sexual activity and drug abuse. The result is a comprehensive, informative, exciting multimedia package written in such a way that a teenager can identify with the material and get involved in the program. Our children do not have the skills to deal with a changing society, family relationships are broken or non-existent and our young generation are spiritually malnourished or bankrupt. South African schools face serious challenges, including violent crime, drug addiction, and low educator morale, parental non – involvement and a general drop in standards.

There is a desperate need for change in attitudes of our youth and I believe with my whole heart that the “Living Lives of Purpose” Project has the potential to reach the youth and make a difference in their lives. The whole program is different in that it specifically communicates with the teenager and issues are dealt with through tasks and monitoring feedback. Our project invests in awareness and prevention. Research and my years of experience as a drug addict has found that grade 8 (13 years old) children to be the most vulnerable to peer pressure.

This is a crucial age of physical, emotional and spiritual development. Alcohol and drugs are manufactured to turn our kids into addicts, to damage their vital organs, especially the brain and to steal them and their future out of the picture. We want grade 8’s to become focused and to impart vital life skills for them to be smart, to take a stand and to be prepared to deal with peer pressure and negative forces within society and themselves.
This young group need to be equipped with the necessary skills to prevent repairing them in the latter years of high school. Rehabilitation is expensive, approximately R50 000 for a few weeks and the statistics in relapsing is very disturbing.

At our Organisation we believe that prevention is better than cure as most people who get caught in the destructing cycle of substance abuse just can’t afford rehabilitation as they have already lost most of their possessions and many times their families have written them off and want nothing to do with them, so they just keep on abusing drugs and eventually lives are lost and families are shattered. It is therefore much better to invest in their lives at a young age than to spend your life savings trying to save their lives.

We aim to impact the lives of young people that go through our life skills training program by helping to change their way of thinking towards their future, and to show them that with the right attitude they can have a productive life and impact the lives of their peers through leading by example. We don’t just want to change their way of thinking but we also want to help them develop their natural leadership skills through on-going follow up meetings and relationship building and discipleship.

I need to stress that People Against Substance Abuse does not believe in the sustainability of a hit-and-run program, hence our approach to adopt schools and invest for a longer period with regular visits to smaller groups. Secondly P.A.S.A. is NOT a drug talk. This is a comprehensive program based on life skills whereby young people are empowered to deal with a changing society, equipping them with all the necessary skills needed to make sound choices.

All aspects of smoking, alcohol, sex and substance abuse are covered in this program as these are interrelated in a teenager’s life. The BOUND curriculum looks intensely at the whole marketing strategy of the peer group and how each teenager needs to be in control when making choices, and where the “con” of fitting in, leads to the loss of individuality.

People Against Substance Abuse invests into the teenager’s future, helping them to focus on their dreams and their purpose. Emphasis is placed on how alcohol and drugs short circuit the completion of the set-up and leave the young person physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. There is NO focus on drug identification as this can easily result in drug ‘advertising’, but rather on the reality of the MESS. All information is well researched and all facts are evidence based. The program also deals with the big “Why” factor. Every “Why” is dealt with and their choices become the alternatives as teenagers decide to be smart, to take a stand and to be prepared for all the “lies” out there.

This is a challenging task. The STAR dated 4 February 2008 stated that the pandemic was out of control and that every school in SA currently has a drug problem! The STAR of 28 February 2008 further stated that SA schools face serious challenges, which include violent crime, drug addiction, low educator morale, parental non-involvement and a general drop in standards. We cannot get rid of this mammoth problem but we can prepare the youth to become responsible while they become independent and to understand that every choice has long-term consequences.

Apart from passionate, relevant, dynamic, evidence based life coaching, P.A.S.A. has the BOUND manual available for learners while implementing the program. The pupils are also expected to complete a workbook based on the program which can count towards their term mark.

Tasks that are addressed during the programme.

• The importance of self-worth and value when choices are made.

• The influence of peer pressure and how your purpose can be hijacked.

• Consequences of substance abuse and how addiction “steals, kills and destroys”.

• The responsibility to live lives of purpose.

• The importance of sound choices to fulfil your dream.

• Mental, Physical and Spiritual consequences of unwanted pregnancies, adoption and abortions.

• Facts about drugs and their effects on your body, family, community and our country.

• Identification of areas where scholar may be challenged.

• Decisions required to change the learner’s destiny.

As one of our main aims focuses on sustainability, it is imperative that we visit the school yearly to continue the fostering of necessary Life Skills.

The difference we aim to make in the lives of young people to stand for the “right thing”, aiming to accomplish their purpose. Our aim is for a moral revolution in every school we adopt.