“Is self-harm a drug?” she asked

As we come to the end of another financial year, we are looking at data to measure just how successful our NotEvenOnce program for schools has been. We can tell you we’ve presented at 60 different schools in 5 different states. We can tell you that more than 60,000 different students have attended a NEO seminar. We can even tell you that the schools who book us are happy with our delivery and usually book again.

But what really demonstrates the effectiveness of the program to us is the real life stories that come out of the sessions.

“Is self-harm a drug?” was a question posed by two grade seven girls to our presenters at the end of a seminar. Clutching each other’s hands and crying, they sat down and one opened up about her struggles with anxiety. With the support of her friend and the NEO presenters, she summoned the courage to share about her Dad’s reaction to her disclosure of self-harm, and how she doesn’t talk about it with her parents anymore.

When a student opens up like this, we are saddened by their struggle, but buoyed by their courage. The articulation of their fears and difficulties is an important step in the right direction, and our hearts truly sing.

In this particular situation, the presenters were able to commend the girls on their bravery in sharing. They discussed how the girl’s dad might have felt scared, powerless and fearful with her disclosure of self-harm, and she agreed to seek support through the school, and also to speak with her parents about it again. Both left the room laughing and smiling, a burden visibly lifted from their shoulders.

This is why we do what we do.

This is why NotEvenOnce exists, and why our presenters are so committed to the ministry.

At the same school, a year eight girl shared about her friend’s vaping habit. “How can I help her stop?” she asked. The presenters were able to discuss her own wellbeing, support and boundaries, as well as ways she could express love and care for her friend without supporting her choices. They talked about encouraging the friend to engage with the school counsellor, for example. The presenters suggested the girl speak to a trusted person in the same way that she had shared with them, and a favourite teacher was identified as being a good option. She walked away armed with a practical way forward to both be a support, and find support for herself.

These are not isolated examples. It is common for students to open up about everything from family histories of alcohol and other drug use, to anxiety and their own experimentation with vaping, smoking, drinking and drugs. 

At the end of the NEO seminars, we anonymously ask for feedback from the students on the information they have received.

There’s often a few, “I’m still going to experiment with drugs,” responses, but for the most part, they read like these:

“I think that this lesson was very helpful and has shown me how I need to make my own choices in life. It is important to be careful about my choices.”

“Everyone has to know these things that can harm your brain and your body.”

“No matter what you are going through, taking drugs or other illegal substances are not the answer.”

“Go see a therapist and ask for help, or talk about your problems.”

It’s great to see students engaging in the NEO topics in such meaningful ways, and we will continue to encourage this level of interaction going into the new financial year.

Click here to find out more about NotEvenOnce, including how you can help.