The Tobacco in Schools Recovery Project has just completed it’s second year of field research at the Elizabeth Wynn Wood Alternate School in Ottawa Canada.
This is a wonderful school for students who do not function well in the regular school system.
On The Way To Fort Simpson
-80 students applied to get into the tobacco recovery program (after a all school presentation in the gym)
-25 students were accepted (they wrote a short essay on why they wanted to join)
-the tobacco group was given a full credit status with 20 lessons on tobacco addiction (see curriculum attached)
-followed by 20 recovery sessions with two meetings a week
-two addiction counselors for each group (one male, one female)
-each student completed a comprehensive recovery plan before quitting
-the whole experience was seen as school wide project (teachers were briefed and many attended training sessions)
-the course is offered on a semester basis
-at some point all 25 students quit smoking
-11 relapsed and of those 4 are back in recovery
-so 17 students are smoke free at semester end
-plus an additional 20 students quit smoking in conjunction with the program from the general student body
-the principal provided patches and inhalers (with parents permission)
-and these students could come to group for support if they were serious about recovery from tobacco addiction.
-a wave of recovery hit the school as it became the ‘In-thing’ to do.
-the non-smoking student gathering spot became the place to be.
-the staff used several new refined recovery techniques to help achieve these amazing results
-including peer mentoring, group action plans, free patches, gum, and inhalers, field trips
-the paint-ball and snowboard field trips were a big hit and group bonding experiences
-teachers reported that attention span, marks, participation rates for these students were way up
-the principal reported that disciplinary problems were dramatically reduced
-students reported a big drop in alcohol and pot consumption
-parents were so happy and wanted to meet the recovery team
-next year the students in recovery will mentor two newcomers each
-mentors never smoke again.
