Tobacco In Schools Recovery Project
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.
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