OBJECTIVE
To build awareness of your schools/organization's comprehensive drug prevention
program by using activities that support proven, primary prevention strategies.
Strategy 1: Dissemination of Information
The Red Ribbon Campaign helps to build individual and community awareness
regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and addiction, and publicizes
the prevention and intervention programs available to address these social
concerns. Get the word out regarding your school's Red Ribbon activities
to increase student/parent/teacher participation. Send information home to
promote parent involvement in their child's prevention education. Support
community based programs by sharing appropriate information from other agencies
with your students/parents/teachers.
Strategy 2: Prevention Education
The Red Ribbon Campaign provides educational opportunities in classroom discussions,
through assemblies, guest speakers, family awareness workshops, and special
events to affect critical life and social skills, including decision making,
refusal skills, and critical analyses.
Strategy 3: Alternatives
The Red Ribbon Campaign supports alternative activities that help prevent
alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use by youth. Constructive and healthy activities
offset the attraction to, or otherwise meet the needs sometimes filled by
alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Strategy 4: Problem Identification & Referral
The Red Ribbon Campaign provides opportunities for problem identification
and referral through student/parent/staff participation in drug education
activities and through the identification of resources available at school
and in the community.
Strategy 5: Community-Based Process
The Red Ribbon Campaign is an effective community-based process since it
involves volunteer training, staff training, systematic planning, multi-agency
coordination and collaboration, accessing services and funding, and community
team-building.
Strategy 6: Environmental Changes
The Red Ribbon Campaign encourages citizens to get involved in promoting
environmental changes within their community. Students themselves can host
media awareness campaigns, visit businesses and encourage store owners to
enforce tobacco and alcohol laws.
Strategy 7: Communication
The Red Ribbon Campaign serves to open the doors of communication between
students and teachers, children and parents, youth and police, as well as
students and those professionals who are committed to serving their needs.
By making The Red Ribbon Campaign a part of your year-round substance abuse
prevention program, you have employed a powerful tool that can energize your
efforts. It is not a program in itself. But, when coupled with a comprehensive,
proactive prevention program that develops positive personal attributes,
eliminates behavioral risk and creates environments that promote the health,
safety and well being of people, its value is significant.
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