D.A.R.T. Think Tank

Rationale – the “WHY?”

We here at The Dalgarno Institute have over a 150 years of both understanding and confronting the Alcohol and other drug culture and its impacts on society. Consequently we have credible scope in both our concerns and understanding of the devastation of alcohol and other drug abuse, as well as the privilege of presenting and promoting proactive and protective alternatives.

In 2009, the history and legacy of many agencies has been brought together in a collaborative and focused effort to again present to the Australian community, workable options to the often coercive sway of ‘inevitability factor ‘ that the alcohol and drug culture can have when left unchallenged.

Dalgarno Program Parameters

To work collaboratively with any and all who seek to promote Demand Reduction and Primary Prevention. To develop and implement signature products/projects that promote and/or deliver professional, relevant and contemporary Primary Prevention and Demand Reduction Drug and Alcohol Education programs and strategies.

In culturally impacting ways these programs and strategies aim to assist young people, children, families and other community groups including, service clubs, churches and sporting clubs, in understanding the complexities of alcohol/ substance abuse and give real and positive options for not only prevention, but proactive alternatives and intervention with peers…

Imperative elements in this program are…

• Increase Awareness through information and education.
• Investigate causes, not merely symptoms.
• Present proactive and protective drug and alcohol options to the culture.
• Develop policy, strategies and charters that promote harm pervention options.
• Resiliency education - Learned Optimism and effective esteem development strategies.
• Values development and worldview calibration.

Dalgarno Program Objectives

Assist Schools, Sporting Clubs, Churches and other community groups by delivering an effective holistic prevention focused (with early intervention component) Drug and Alcohol Education Education/Advocacy process. This endeavour will act to…

• Maximise harm prevention via intervention, demand reduction – including focus on abstinence based uptake delaying/denying strategies through education and student participation in learning and implementation processes.
• Increase awareness of alcohol and drug impact via culturally creative and relevant ways.
• Enhance options for proactive participation in peer intervention and education.
• Assist in the developing learned optimism and healthy esteem enhancement strategies
• Provide – prevention and early intervention Training and Resources
• Provide a catalyst for and enhancement of any on going drug and alcohol awareness efforts within school communities.
• Provide supplementary or replacement options for School Drug Education Strategies, including:

1. Deliver ‘No Brainer’ and ‘Zero Hero’ Drug and Alcohol Education Workshops to Secondary Schools and Primary Schools. Deliver ‘Taking Charge’ B.O.W.I. Motivational Workshops to Sporting Groups, Coaches Service Clubs and other groups
2. Deliver training for community groups wanting to be part of 'Fence Building' preventative measures.
3. Drug Education and Harm Prevention strategies.
4. Deliver ‘BOUNCING BACK’ Resiliency Information nights for Parents and Teachers.
5. Liaison with and referrals to Quality Cognitive Based Therapies.
6. Resource and Materials development.
7. Drug & Alcohol policy advice and recommendations.

Our projects include...

1. 1. Fence Builder Program (Fence Builder club and Fence Building Fortnight)
   2. B.O.W.I. (Better Off Without It – sporting club program)
   3. NO Brainer 'I wish I never..." DVD Curriculum package including seminars, workshops and website
   4. Zero Hero Primary School Seminars.
   5. BOUNCING BACK and TAKING CHARGE Resiliency and motivation seminars for parents and coaches.
   6. SHAKE-A-LEG Indigenous Music Project
   7. Isabella's List
   8. Not Even Once Film Competition

Drug & Alcohol Resource Team (D.A.R.T)

John van Groningen - Criminologist, Adjunct Professor RMIT
Derek Steenholdt - Master Educator
Professor John Toumbourou - Associate Dean, Chair in Health Psychology, Deakin University
Paul Tolliday - National Director of S.T.A.R.S. (Students That Action Reconciliation Seriously)
Professor Stuart Reece MD; University of West Australia & Edith Cowan University, AOD Rehabilitation Clinician
Warwick Murphy - Executive Director of ISAAC Australasia; Veteran AOD Clinician and Counsellor
Helen Johns – Psychologist
Dr. Karen A.  Randall MD – Emergency Medicine Specialist
Dr. K. 'John' Smith - Cultural Anthropologist
  (Posthumous – in memory of a remarkable and lasting contribution)