Skip to content
Home - Indigenous Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Clearinghouse logo
Skip to navigation

Strong and Deadly Futures: co-development of a web-based wellbeing and substance use prevention program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal adolescents

  • Description
    School-based programs can effectively prevent substance use; however, systematic reviews and consultation with stakeholders identified a need for effective, culturally inclusive programs for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Aboriginal) youth. This paper describes the development of Strong & Deadly Futures, a six-lesson, curriculum-aligned wellbeing and substance use prevention program that was designed for, and with, the Aboriginal youth. Formative reviews and consultation recommended that the program (i) combine effective components of mainstream prevention with cultural elements, highlighting Aboriginal cultural strengths; (ii) avoid stigma and celebrates the cultural diversity by catering to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students; and (iii) use digital technology to enhance engagement, implementation and scalability. Guided by an Appreciative Inquiry approach, the program was developed in partnership with an Indigenous Creative Design Agency, and four schools in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. Aboriginal (n = 41) and non-Aboriginal students (n = 36) described their role models, positive aspects of their community and reasons to avoid substance use; these formed the basis of an illustrated story which conveyed the key learning outcomes. Feedback from teachers, students and content experts supported the acceptability of the program, which will be evaluated in a subsequent randomised controlled trial.
  • Regions in scope
    National
  • Funding entity
    Department of Health via the Centre of Research Excellence in the Prevention and Early Intervention in Mental Illness and Substance Use; Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
  • Research/evaluation entity
    The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney
  • Status
    Completed
  • End date
    2021
  • Released to public
    Yes
  • Report available
    Strong and Deadly Futures: co-development of a web-based wellbeing and substance use prevention program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal adolescents
  • Other information
    Strong & Deadly Futures
  • Categories
    Mental health, Social and emotional wellbeing
Back to register