DSM Foundation Delivers Drugs Education in School on Election Day
London, 9 July 2024 – On Thursday, July 4th, the DSM Foundation – a leading drug education charity – was conducting a drugs education session in a school that was also being used as a polling station. This was a fitting coincidence as the country was in the midst of electing a new Labour government, with the message of change from Sir Keir Starmer seemingly swaying voters. This message of change extends to various aspects of life, including drugs education, which the DSM Foundation believes is crucial in reducing demand for drugs and the resulting harm.
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE, Director and Founder of the DSM Foundation, expressed her thoughts on the new government, saying, “We welcome our new government and look forward to working with them to support young people in making safer choices about drugs.”
She further added, “We were pleased to see a strong commitment in the Labour manifesto towards investing in the well-being of young people and building resilience against risk. This includes increased support for mental health, positive community engagement through Young Futures Hubs, and a new law to tackle drug dealers exploiting children and young people into criminal activity.”
However, there is still much to be done when it comes to young people, drugs, and decision-making. Spargo-Mabbs urged the new government to maintain, strengthen, and extend the current drug strategy’s focus on reducing the demand for drugs through evidence-based prevention measures. This includes providing drug education for all young people, equipping them with the skills to make safer decisions about drugs.
The DSM Foundation was established in 2014 after the tragic death of 16-year-old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs from an accidental overdose of ecstasy. His family realized that he did not have enough information to make safe decisions and saw a gap in resources and support available to schools. This led them to set up the charity to spare other families from experiencing the same tragedy.
The Foundation’s goal is to provide young people with relevant, age-appropriate, up-to-date, and evidence-based information about drugs so they can make informed choices to keep themselves and their friends safe. The charity conducts workshops in schools, colleges, and community organizations, and also provides training for parents, caregivers, school and college staff. They also offer a verbatim play, “I Love You Mum, I Promise I Won’t Die,” commissioned by the charity to tell Dan’s story in the words of his family and friends. The play can be studied or booked for a Theatre in Education performance. Additionally, schools and colleges can download free, age-appropriate, and evidence-based drug education resources from the DSM Foundation website for use in PSHE/PSE lessons.
For more information about the DSM Foundation and their work, please visit https://www.dsmfoundation.org.uk/.
Media inquiries about this press release or the work of the DSM Foundation can be directed to media@dsmfoundation.org.uk.
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/
