✨Three Highland schools have been recognised for their work in helping young people make positive life choices.

🔵The Substance Aware School (SAS) Award has been developed to recognise and reward consistent, ongoing approaches to prevent substance use among young people across the Highlands.

🟣This initiative is a joint partnership between the Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, the Highland Council, NHS Highland, Highland Child Protection Committee and Police Scotland. The award aims to:

  • support and promote evidence informed substance education and prevention in the Highlands
  • celebrate and showcase good practice of substance education and prevention in the Highlands
  • encourage and sustain healthy attitudes and behaviours among young people in the Highlands

The 2024-25 winners of the SAS Award were as follows:

🥇 winners of the Gold SAS Award and £1,000 are Lochaber High School

🥈 winners of the Silver SAS Award and £500 are Glenurquhart Primary School

🥉 winners of the Bronze SAS Award and £250 are Tain Royal Academy

Prize money will be spent on positive activities for young people, as they can help to deter substance use.

Head Teacher of Lochaber High School, Scott Steele, said: “Lochaber High School has proudly been awarded the prestigious Gold Substance Awareness Award, recognising its commitment to promoting substance awareness and student well-being.

“This accolade reflects the school's proactive efforts, particularly driven by our Pupil Support Team, in educating students about the risks associated with substance use through engaging lessons, and strong partnership working with our local support services.

“The achievement highlights the dedication of staff, students, and the wider school community in fostering a safe, informed, and supportive environment. Receiving the Gold Award reinforces Lochaber High School's role in health and well-being education.”

Rosie Greig, teacher at Glenurquhart Primary, said: “We are delighted to have received the Silver Award. This is our first year participating and the children have enjoyed learning about how to sustain healthy attitudes and become more substance aware.”

Huge congratulations to Tain Royal Academy for winning the Bronze Award, thank you for everything you do for children and young people.

🟢The Planet Youth data from the 2021 and 2023 surveys has shown alcohol, tobacco and drug usage has decreased slightly in our adolescents over the last few years which was really good to see, however young people are still starting to use substances at a young age which we know can be harmful to their brain development and long term physical and mental health. The data also showed us that vaping use had increased in young people between 2021 an 2023..

🟣Lets work together to try to lower all these substance use figures in the 2025 surveys.

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