Alcohol other drugs and young adults toolkit
The Alcohol, other drugs and young adults toolkit guides Local Drug Action Teams supporting young people in study and work to avoid alcohol and other drug harm.
Young adults and alcohol and other drug prevention
Starting study or work is a time of big change, and the right support makes a difference.
What is the Alcohol, other drugs and young adults toolkit?
The toolkit covers practical ways to help young adults at university, TAFE, college and in the workforce reduce alcohol and other drug harm. Moving from school into further study or work brings new independence, and it’s also when many mental health and alcohol and other drug issues first appear. The places where young people make these moves, such as campuses and workplaces, are well placed to support them, and Local Drug Action Teams can help.
What helps young adults
- Choosing not to drink is increasingly common among young people. Sharing that, without criticising those who drink, helps make it an easy choice.
- Practical strategies, such as skipping pre-drinks, rounds and drinking games, help people who do drink stay safer.
- Brief, non-judgemental information, from campus health services, information stalls, peers or apps, reaches young people where they are.
- Peer education and mentoring help young people through moves into study and work.
- Workplace health promotion and clear health and wellbeing policies support young workers.
- Social activities without alcohol and support for mental health, such as mindfulness programs, build protective factors.
Who Local Drug Action Teams work with
Local Drug Action Teams tailor their work to the young adults in their community. That might be students, including those who’ve moved away from home or come from overseas to study; young people new to Australia; apprentices and young workers in trades and construction; and young people looking for work or study. With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, the best approaches are community-led and culturally safe, often delivered with Aboriginal community controlled health services.
Trusted information for young adults
- ADF Drug Facts: plain-language information about alcohol and other drugs and their effects.
- headspace: mental health and alcohol and other drug support for people aged 12 to 25.
- For mental health apps and websites, see apps and websites for young people.
How Local Drug Action Teams use it
Local Drug Action Teams use this toolkit to work with universities, TAFEs, colleges, employers, unions, student and employee groups, and local health services. They run information stalls at O-Week and workplace events, contribute to orientation sessions, run campaigns and alcohol-free social events, support job-readiness and upskilling, and help build referral pathways so young people know where to go for support. This toolkit works well alongside mentoring and peer support.
Where it fits in the LDAT program
Local Drug Action Teams use this toolkit as part of their Community Action Plan (CAP).
How Local Drug Action Teams are responding
- Young people job-ready in Hobsons Bay: the Hobsons Bay LDAT used this toolkit for job-readiness training and alcohol and other drug education with young people in Melbourne’s south-west.
- Logan youth mentoring program: mentoring at Substation33, south of Brisbane, where young people looking for work build confidence, life skills and safer choices.
- Uni of Western Australia College Row LDAT: an LDAT working with the university’s residential colleges.
- Tackling on-campus drinking cultures in the ACT: an LDAT working on campus drinking culture in Canberra.
What’s in the full toolkit
The full toolkit gives Local Drug Action Teams practical guidance, including:
- evidence-based approaches for young adults, including brief interventions, technology-based approaches, workplace health promotion and peer education
- guiding principles for working with young adults on alcohol and other drugs
- considerations for planning and delivery, including different groups of young adults, partners and resources
- key activities and measuring success
- key steps, from engaging the community and sharing evidence to building social connection and collaboration between organisations.
If you’re part of a Local Drug Action Team, you can use the full toolkit on the LDAT platform.
Partner with a Local Drug Action Team
Local Drug Action Teams work with local organisations, such as schools, councils, sporting clubs and health services, to prevent alcohol and other drug harm in their communities. See where LDATs are on our map, and if your organisation would like to partner with one, contact us.
Last reviewed: 4 November 2026