Health, Public Health & Safety
Drugs & Alcohol Awareness and Prevention
Prevention, early identification and referral for substance misuse in communities and workplaces.
Syllabus at a glance
Around 12 weeks of guided study, typically two sessions a week plus independent work, so you can keep working while you study.
| Unit | Study block | Module |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weeks 1–2 | Common substances and their effects |
| 2 | Weeks 3–4 | Risk factors and community drivers |
| 3 | Weeks 5–6 | Prevention and awareness programming |
| 4 | Weeks 7–8 | Brief screening and referral |
| 5 | Weeks 9–12 | Workplace policy and stigma reduction |
Module breakdown
- 1
Common substances and their effects
Weeks 1–2Build a shared working vocabulary for common substances and their effects and set the standards this course expects of you.
What you cover
- Key concepts, terminology and standards behind common substances and their effects
- Step-by-step methods and templates for common substances and their effects
- Common problems, risks and mistakes in common substances and their effects, and how to avoid them
- Applying common substances and their effects in low-resource and community settings
Assessed work: Case study discussion applying common substances and their effects to a local scenario.
- 2
Risk factors and community drivers
Weeks 3–4Work through the methods and tools used for risk factors and community drivers in day-to-day programme work.
What you cover
- Step-by-step methods and templates for risk factors and community drivers
- Common problems, risks and mistakes in risk factors and community drivers, and how to avoid them
- Applying risk factors and community drivers in low-resource and community settings
Assessed work: Practical task: draft one working document related to risk factors and community drivers.
- 3
Prevention and awareness programming
Weeks 5–6Practise prevention and awareness programming on realistic case material drawn from Sierra Leonean community and field settings.
What you cover
- Common problems, risks and mistakes in prevention and awareness programming, and how to avoid them
- Applying prevention and awareness programming in low-resource and community settings
- Recording, reporting and communicating your prevention and awareness programming work
Assessed work: Group simulation using prevention and awareness programming under time pressure.
- 4
Brief screening and referral
Weeks 7–8Turn brief screening and referral into documents, plans and decisions your team or employer can actually use.
What you cover
- Applying brief screening and referral in low-resource and community settings
- Recording, reporting and communicating your brief screening and referral work
- Key concepts, terminology and standards behind brief screening and referral
Assessed work: Portfolio entry: reflect on how you will use brief screening and referral in your role.
- 5
Workplace policy and stigma reduction
Weeks 9–12Review, quality-check and improve your own workplace policy and stigma reduction work with tutor and peer feedback.
What you cover
- Recording, reporting and communicating your workplace policy and stigma reduction work
- Key concepts, terminology and standards behind workplace policy and stigma reduction
- Step-by-step methods and templates for workplace policy and stigma reduction
Assessed work: Guided exercise: produce a short worked example covering workplace policy and stigma reduction.
Who this course is for
- • Practitioners and volunteers already working in, or moving into, this area of work.
- • Health workers, facility staff and community health volunteers.
- • School leavers and graduates building a first professional portfolio.
Entry requirements
- • Basic literacy and secondary-level education, or relevant practical work experience.
- • Access to a phone, tablet or computer for online and blended study.
- • Commitment to attend sessions and submit assignments on time.
How you are assessed
- • Short module tasks completed during the course.
- • Practical component: Design and deliver a community awareness session.
- • A final assessment or portfolio review covering the full syllabus.
- • Participation in guided sessions, discussions and group exercises.
Materials and support
- • Session handouts, checklists and templates you keep after the course.
- • Case material and worked examples based on community and field practice.
- • Tutor guidance by WhatsApp between sessions.
Certification
Learners who complete all assessments receive an SLIHSD professional certificate of completion. This records completion of an SLIHSD short course and is not presented as an accredited academic award.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the certificate you should be able to:
- Deliver a community prevention session
- Identify risk and refer appropriately
- Support a workplace substance policy
Practical component
Design and deliver a community awareness session.
How this programme is delivered
Online
Guided sessions and assignments you can follow from anywhere with a connection.
Face-to-face
Classroom sessions at our Mile 91 learning centre, including weekend and evening options.
Blended
A mix of online study with periodic in-person workshops, field exercises and simulations.
Ready to start Drugs & Alcohol Awareness and Prevention?
Applications for the Founding Student Intake 2026 are open. Register your interest and we will guide you to the right programme.