To respond appropriately to concerns surrounding use of alcohol (or other drugs), campuses need to engage in initiatives that can reasonably be expected to make a positive difference in their context. Practices listed here as “promising” are congruent with the broader approach to health promotion that is commended on this site. They are supported by theory that is credible because it makes good sense in accounting for the range of issues evidently involved. Moreover, in most cases these practices have been attested to some encouraging degree in scientific research as effective initiatives toward a desired outcome.
While some of the promising practices can be implemented individually, they will be more effective when implemented as part of an integrated strategy. This is because post-secondary institutions are social ecosystems in which a variety of factors interact to influence the health of the environment and of the students and staff within it. Applying evidence involves more than choosing just one or two components, even if each is associated with positive outcomes in a research study. All of the components need to fit together within a consistent comprehensive framework and theoretical model in order to work most effectively in the real world. Changing the environment takes time, but even small steps matter.
Click individual items to access information related to each promising practice, and follow the links to both the evidence that supports the practice and the tools that can be used to implement it.
The implementation of health promotion always means more than simply following a set of instructions. In other words, the promising practices presented here must be tailored to your particular setting and the resources that are available to you. CARBC is glad to provide consultation and support to help post-secondary institutions with this process and will continue to identify and develop tools to help schools implement the change process.