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The Illicit Project

The Matilda Centre, University of Sydney

The Illicit Project is an evidence based drug and alcohol education program for late adolescents by showing the impact of drug use on the developing brain and providing prevention education along with harm reduction strategies.

  • Online

Pricing: Paid

Origin: Developed in Australia for Australian schooling contexts

Product type: Program; Fact sheets; Student activities; Activity sheets; Learning modules

Contact details

The Matilda Centre, University of Sydney
ABN: 15 211 513 464

https://www.theillicitproject.com/

https://www.theillicitproject.com/

Focus areas

  • Drug and alcohol education

Curriculum alignment

  • Health and PE

Prospective users

Audience: Whole class universal (Tier 1), Targeted small group early intervention (Tier 2)

Context: School or centre-based

Main beneficiaries: Year 9, Year 10, Year 11, Year 12

Delivery style: Classroom teacher is trained

Aims & approach

The online program aims to fill the gap of evidence-based drug and alcohol education for senior high school students using neuroscience-based, harm-minimisation strategies. While many programs target junior high school students in alcohol and drug education, targeting risky substance use at the 16-19 year period is critical, as this period represents the age of initiation and escalation of substance.

Through three 40-minute modules, students engage with a blend of videos, interactive activities, peer role-modelling, and open discussions to build drug literacy and harm reduction skills.

Schools access to the program on a cost per student basis.

Implementation support

  • Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support

Evidence

The program draws on neuroscientific evidence (i.e. neuroimaging) and drug pharmacology, harm-reduction, and positive psychology principles create the foundation of the program.

A formal evaluation via a randomized controlled trial has demonstrated the program is highly effective in delaying the onset of risky substance use and improving students' knowledge, attitudes, and skills to help reduce drug harms. Further references include:

  • Debenham et al. (2024) An on-line school-based substance use harm reduction programme: The Illicit Project randomized controlled trial results. Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16403
  • Debenham et al. (2022) Effectiveness of a neuroscience-based, harm reduction program for older adolescents: A cluster randomised controlled trial of the Illicit Project. Prev Med Rep. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101706
  • Debenham et al. (2020) A pilot study of a neuroscience-based, harm minimisation programme in schools and youth centres in Australia. BMJ Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033337

Testimonials can be found here.