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Reality Now

Life Education Australia

Reality Now is a student-centred alcohol and drug preventative health program for secondary students. The face-to-face sessions equip young people with the skills to stay safe from drug-related harms, while closing the gap between perception and reality, grounding the choices young people make.

  • NSW
  • SA

Pricing: Paid

Origin: Developed in Australia for Australian schooling contexts

Product type: Program; Online resources (e.g. videos, games, tools, readings); Student activities; Learning modules; Class lesson plans

Contact details

Life Education Australia
ABN: 50 002 506 470

https://lifeed.org.au/modules/secondary/reality-now/

https://lifeed.org.au/contact-us/

Focus areas

  • Drug and alcohol education

Curriculum alignment

  • Health and PE

Prospective users

Audience: Whole class universal (Tier 1)

Context: School or centre-based

Main beneficiaries: Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10

Delivery style: Classroom teacher is trained; Delivered by program staff

Aims & approach

Consisting of curriculum-aligned modules, Reality Now empowers students to navigate safe and healthy choices regarding alcohol and drugs.

The program employs a distinctive social norms approach, using a purpose built survey tool to highlight the gaps between students' perceptions of alcohol and drug use by young people, and the reality, so that most young people are making safer and healthier choices. Reality Now fosters awareness and informed decision-making.

The program is delivered by a specialist Life Ed Educator in a whole class or year group presentation, supported by the teacher using Reality Now classroom activities and assessment tasks to consolidate and extend students' learning after the Life Ed session. A Vaping Resource Hub has been developed for parents and carers to equip them with the knowledge and skills to discuss the issues with young people.

Implementation support

  • Access to professional facilitator, instructor or mentor
  • Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support

Evidence

The social norms approach aims to prevent risky behaviours by correcting individuals' misperceptions about the attitudes and behaviours of their peers, closing the gap between perception and reality, and thereby reducing the likelihood that they will engage in such risky behaviour.

Reality Now aligns with the Principles for School Drug Education.

The Reality Now modules are consistent with elements of effective school-based drug education and health education programs that have recorded positive student outcomes. Resources are aligned with the Australian Curriculum and State Syllabi. Evidence reports include:

  • Risky Business: Pilot of the social norms program for secondary schools- ACER 2019
  • Program Evaluation of Life Education South Australia's services to the South Australian Department for Education- PairCo 2021