Prevention Works!

Taking an Alternative Approach to Prevention

What do team sports, the arts, special events, and community service have to do with substance abuse prevention? Anecdotal evidence suggests that youth who participate in alternative activities may be less inclined to engage in substance abuse. As a result, prevention efforts often have alternative programs as popular components.

Although these programs serve diverse audiences and purposes, they share some common elements. Alternative (or positive) activities help youth develop life skills and knowledge; provide them with peer interaction opportunities; and assist them in developing positive relationships with adults. When combined with other prevention strategies, alternative programs are especially effective when they are aimed at specific populations and are intensive. Several types of alternative approaches include:

• Alternative events programs. These events occur once a year or are one-time activities, such as Sober Prom, graduation parties, and community drug-free parties.
• Athletic and recreational activities. These activities provide a variety of sports and physical activities to youth in settings such as community centers.
• Adventure-oriented alternatives. These programs are designed to provide a thrilling outdoors experience while encouraging youth to engage in confidence-building activities.
• Culturally specific alternatives. These programs encourage bonding, leadership, and social interaction among young participants and are designed to give youth from different cultures greater knowledge of¾ and pride in¾ their ethnic heritage.
• Alternatives aimed at high-risk youth. These activities are targeted directly at youth from low-income backgrounds, children of substance abusers, children in foster care homes or institutions, school dropouts, or runaways. Because of the diverse needs of these youth, many programs include a wide variety of other services.
• Entrepreneurial ventures. Alternative activities provide youth with mentoring programs to learn organizational and business skills as well as provide employment opportunities.
• Community services. These programs offer a wide range of opportunities for youth to interact with their peers, adults, and community members ranging from providing one-on-one assistance to the elderly or contributing to group projects.
• Creative endeavors. The arts encourage youth to participate in various forms of art, drama, music, or theater, and provide opportunities for youth to develop artistic skills as well as express themselves creatively.
• Community drop-in centers. These centers provide youth with a safe environment under the supervision of adults. Activities are often unstructured, and additional services, such as counseling, crisis intervention assistance, and health, may be offered.

Alternative programs are just one part of any community’s prevention approach. To be the most effective, these programs should be incorporated within a comprehensive prevention strategy.

To receive a complimentary copy of this PreventionAlert, call SAMSHA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) @ 1-800-729-6686, TDD 1-800-487-4889 (for the hearing impaired.) PREVENTIONAlert is supported by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and may be copied without permission with appropriate citation. For information about PREVENTIONAlert, please contact CSAP by phone (301) 443-0581 or e-mail gensley@samhsa.gov

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