Empowering Youth in Drug Prevention Education Programmes through Motivational Camp Retreat

Abstract

Drug-related problems have always been a major plight among youths. Effective approaches
are therefore essential to counter the problem of illicit drug use. This paper focuses on the
promotion of a camp retreat as a drug prevention education programme for school children.
The camp, facilitated by trained teachers and peer facilitators, incorporated physical and
spiritual team-building activities, effective communication, life and refusal skill trainings. Highrisk students were informed on the dangers of drug use, about religious and social perception
on substances of abuse, negative influence of social media in the form of info-games, role-play,
problem-solving, group exercises and discussions. At the end of the programme, participants
evaluated the effectiveness, appropriateness and lessons learned from the camp’s activities.
The outcomes strongly indicate that youths are more receptive to this approach of learning,
information sharing and character building programmes.