Youngsters role-play as defence against drugs
Sixteen students were in a huddle, laughing at their antics as they acted out short skits at a Tsing Yi secondary school.
The students at Lok Sin Tong Leung Chik Wai Memorial School have been attending an anti-drugs programme where they learn about how to say no to drugs.
Their school is among 10 schools that joined Kely Support Group's new Operation Young campaign targeting 6,000 students.
The group, which champions self-help and peer-support programmes, launched the project in mid-August to raise student awareness on the effects of drug abuse, offer coping and refusal skills, and promote peer support for positive role models.
One of the students, Michael, 14, said he knew from experience how drugs could take over one's life in a second. He has a friend who battled drug addiction for years before turning over a new leaf.
'This is a great programme for us. Drugs are a serious issue among youngsters. This programme can help us to face drugs and how to speak to other students about avoiding them,' he said, adding that substance abuse could enslave anyone.
Kely's project co-ordinator, Fion Chan Man-wai, said through the campaign, youngsters could learn about themselves. 'We want to do more prevention work through this programme, not only helping students learn how to say no to drugs but have strong core values,' she said.
Project officer Stanley Wong Sau-kong said the programme uses drama and theatre to drive home the anti-drugs message and students exit the programme with 'a life goal'.
