Helping a young person to say no to friends

Many young people identify a goal of reducing or managing their substance use. Young people tell us that learning to say no in certain situations is something they often have trouble with. 

YoDAA already has this handy guide to help young people say no when being offered alcohol and other substances in social settings. One of the most effective ways young people can learn to decline an offer is to practice declining it. Work through the guide with the young person and ask them which of the suggestions they like the most. They may want to tailor these, and that’s great! The goal is for the young person to have a prepared vocabulary of ways to politely decline substances. 

As a  teacher or wellbeing coordinator, you are in the unique position of being able to practice the dialogue with them. Roleplay can seem awkward, but it is an excellent way of learning, so challenge yourself and lead the young person through a practice dialogue.  

Practice a few different hypothetical settings and challenge the young person by persisting with asking even once they have declined. Be as realistic as possible as this is their practice for a real-life scenario they will almost certainly face.