How do I start?

First, you must be a student or member of an existing group/class where the school & community drug talks will be done. If you are not a student or member of the group, pass this information on to the students and see if anyone is interested in facilitating. You may consider offering extra credit or other incentives. Anyone who can follow directions can do this.

Complete the following steps to facilitate the school & community drug talks:

1. Read through all these pages describing the program.

2. Go through the PartySmart group facilitation training. Contact Antonia <AntoniaRocks@yahoo.com> to schedule.

3. Think of places and times when you could do the group.
   Best: an existing student group/club or class

4. Get a friend/classmate(s), etc. to work with you - they will be your co-facilitator(s).
   Best: students that are already in the existing group/club or class.
   Have them read through all the pages describing the program.

5. Get a teacher/nurse/administrator/coach to back you - they will be your advisor.
   Best: the advisor/teacher who leads the existing group/club or class.

6. Meet with the advisor.
   Show them the pages describing the program.
   Discuss and agree on the privacy/confidentiality disclosure.
   Ask about policies re: principal approval, permission slips, etc.
   Request extra credit, community service credit, any other benefits.
   Agree on ground rules.
   Ask if it is possible to get extra credit.

7. Meet with the co-facilitator(s)
   Study the ground rules.
   Study the discussion topics/outline.
   Decide who will do each part. Some co-facilitators may not do a part, but will help by speaking up and asking questions during the discussion.

   • Intro/Rules, etc. (The advisor should be the one to disclose privacy “exceptions.”)
   • Facilitate discussion
     • getting info
     • weighing the info
     • using info
   • Close
   • Complete the Dialogue Assessment Tool. (The advisor may be able to do this.)

   Come up with a name. School & Community Drug Talks is boring, come up with a name that will appeal to the class/group.
   Optional: you could get the class/group to come up with names and then vote on the favorite. This can help get people interested in it.

8. You and co-facilitator(s) meet with advisor.
   Show the advisor the plan.
   Show the advisor the resources or any other materials you are planning on handing out.
   Ask the advisor to do the confidentiality disclosure.
   Ask advisor to do permission slips or any other requirements.
   Ask the advisor to complete the Dialogue Assessment Tool.
   Set a date and time to do the group.

9. Optional: you may want to get the class/group into it by having people design a flyer. Have them include the name you made up, the date and whatever else they would like to add. Post the flyers in the classroom, around the school, etc.

10. Facilitate the group.
    Follow the plan.
    Don’t forget to complete the Dialogue Assessment Tool.

11. Send the Dialogue Assessment Tool to Antonia <antoniarocks@yahoo.com> or enter the information and your comments online.

Do it again ... if people are into it! Or share the info so someone else can facilitate next time.