Young People and Substance Use

This unit will introduce students to the social, historical and political contexts of young people and substance use. Students will also be provided with the opportunity to build skills in the assessment and planning of appropriate interventions, advocacy and referral when working with young people who use Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD). An overview of community-based youth specific AOD services will be provided with consideration of evidence-based practice models. Students will also explore and analyse drug policy and the impact those policies have on young people in the AOD sector.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Contextualise the use of Alcohol and Other Drugs by young people within their social, political and historical settings;
2. Examine theoretical models of support in working with young people who are using Alcohol and Other Drugs;
3. Demonstrate knowledge and skills to be able to relate to young people with Alcohol and Other Drugs use including methods of effective communication and, workplace protocols and procedures in order to make evidence based judgments to assess plan treatments and recommend therapeutic interventions; and,
4. Interrogate methods of Youth Work practice that are appropriate to be used in a range of Alcohol and Other Drugs that are aligned with the Youth Work Professions Code of Ethical Practice and key stakeholder views.