A SUPPORT worker in Bromsgrove has been able to share her newfound knowledge about vaping with youngsters she is mentoring after taking a drug education training session.
Support worker Maria* works within an alternative provision school and has shared her new understanding of the risk of vaping with Ruby*, a teenager she is mentoring.
Maria learned that a single vape at 600 puffs is the equivalent of smoking 40 cigarettes. She explained this to Ruby to help her understand vaping’s impacts on mental and physical wellbeing.
Ruby had been using an 1800-puff vape, which is illegal according to UK regulations and potentially even more harmful than a legal vape.
A few hours after their conversation, Ruby called her to say she had made the decision to limit herself to using one 600-puff vape per week.
Maria was delighted. “It was totally unprompted on her part. I see that reduction as a massive success and it wouldn’t have happened without the training,” she said.
The session, delivered by national drug education charity Hope UK, was part of a county-wide programme to upskill teachers, youth workers and other professionals working with children and young people.
It aims to better equip them to deliver up-to-date and evidence-based drug education in their teaching and pastoral support sessions to reduce the risk of young people becoming involved in drugs and criminality locally, including child exploitation and county lines gangs.
The programme is free for practitioners and is funded by Worcestershire County Council and the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner.
Sessions cover general information about drugs, drug use, how to communicate openly with young people about alcohol and drug use, effective drug prevention interventions and where to get help.
On completion of the first in-person session, participants gain access to a dedicated website which provides further information.
The training will be delivered throughout 2025, and is targeted at all schools, FE colleges, special and alternative provision schools and youth services.
Anyone within these organisations who would benefit from the training are eligible to attend.
Email [email protected] or call 020 7928 0848 to book. Visit https://hopeuk.org/wcc for more information. *Names of individuals have been changed.
