If you know a friend, student or family member who are influenced by alcohol or other drugs, please take some time to explore this site – the information can help you to understand what they face and why the Amplify school programme is a pathway that works to improve the important areas of their lives.

There are lots of options to get support, and some of them are explained below. There are also links to some other websites and services.

I want to get support, and Amplify! is in my school!
That's great! Have a look around this website to see how it works, and why it works. If you want to meet with the practitioners, see your school student support centre and we'll meet with you as soon as we can!

I want to get support, and Amplify! is not in my school.
Great that you want to get support! We're looking at ways that we can provide support in more school communities, but in the meantime there are other great services. See your school student support centre, and they can either support you themselves or help you to access some other support.

I am a parent, and I'm worried that my teenage son or daughter is using drugs. What can I do?
This is a very common question, and tricky, when most of the signs that a young person could be using substances are similar to typical teenage behaviour! It can be really hard to know how to support your child, especially when they are learning how to make their own choices and decisions. Here is the advice that we most often give to parents:

  • Keep trying to speak to your son or daughter. It can be challenging, especially as most young people want their parents to think well of them, and can tell you what they think you want to hear. But, almost every young person we work with, speaks about how much they want a good honest relationship with their parents. They just don't know how to change from an -adult-child relationship, to a more adult-adult relationship.
  • Don't be afraid to show or tell your son or daughter what you feel, or what you are worried about. Some of the biggest changes we have seen young people make is after they see how much their behaviour and actions are affecting their family. They also talk about how sometimes seeing their parents cry can remind them that they are part of a family, and cared for.
  • Make sure to get support - Both for your son or daughter and for yourself! Community Alcohol and Drug Services in Auckland run a family and friends group for people who are family or friends of someone misusing substances. This can be a good place to get support. Having a teenager who uses substances can often feel isolating, and most of the parents we speak to worry that there was something they could have done differently - or that they are the only parents facing it. But the fact is that youth substance use is non-specific - occurring within any family.
  • And most importantly, remember that there is always hope and the potential to change! Many young people who sample different substances can end up doing really amazing things with their life, as long as they see this as one part of their development, which they can change to keep moving forward.

I want to get support, and I don't go to school anymore
Great that you want to get support! Have a look at some of the services in the links below and see if there are any that suit you.

I actually think that I might do better if I could get support while living somewhere else
Some young people have so much going on around them that they really want to take a break, and get support in a residential programme. The great news is that our organisation, Odyssey House, also has a residential programme for young people. This programme includes a registered school, where you can continue working on NCEA credits, while getting support. If needed, we can also support you to rebuild some of the relationships with other people, like your family, while you live in the programme. Check out the Odyssey House website for more information.
 

Useful Links

  • Odyssey House Auckland - Odyssey House provides drug, alcohol, and gambling treatment to a wide range of people
  • The New Zealand Drug Foundation - Great information on different types of substances, and information on the current debates around substances in New Zealand
  • Community Alcohol and Drug Services - A free community-based service for a wide range of people. This includes: Altered High - a youth service; Tupu Services - specifically for Pacific Island peoples; and Te Atea Marino - specificially for MÄ?ori peoples.
  • Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Education - The Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Education have some fun interactive activities, and provides useful information and resources on alcohol and other drugs.
  • Raukura Hauora o Tainui - Raukura Hauora o Tainui is an Iwi charitable trust providing several services to people in the Tainui area
  • Youthline - Youthline provides several different youth-focused support services
  • The Lowdown - Low Down aims to help young Kiwis understand and deal with depression