Life Skills Training

LifeSkills® Training (LST) is a classroom-based tobacco-, alcohol-, and drug abuse–prevention program for upper elementary and junior high school students who have not yet initiated substance use or are early stage users.  The goals of LST are to prevent tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug abuse by targeting key risk and protective factors associated with these behaviors.  LST is designed to:

• Increase knowledge of the adverse consequences of substance use;
• Promote anti-drug attitudes and norms;
• Teach personal self-management skills;
• Teach general social skills; and
• Teach skills for resisting social influences to smoke, drink, use illicit drugs, and engage in aggressive or violence-related behaviors.

The program can be taught either on an intensive schedule (two to three times a week) until the program is complete, or on a more extended schedule (once a week until the program is complete). For optimal program implementation Botvin LifeSkills Training should be implemented in a classroom setting that is conducive to learning. The curriculum can be taught in school, community, faith-based, summer school and after-school settings.

LifeSkills Training promotes healthy alternatives to risky behavior through activities designed to:

• Teach students the necessary skills to resist social (peer) pressures to smoke, drink, and use drugs
• Help students to develop greater self-esteem and self-confidence
• Enable students to effectively cope with anxiety
• Increase their knowledge of the immediate consequences of substance abuse
• Enhance cognitive and behavioral competency to reduce and prevent a variety of health risk behaviors

Staffing Requirements:

LST can be provided by teachers, school counselors, prevention specialists, community youth educators, and other program providers.

Staffing Training:

Foundation Training Workshops: 1 day workshop prepares individuals to implement the LST program. (Offered online, on-site or open trainings)

Core Training Workshops: 2 day workshop provides in-depth analysis of the curriculum as well as hands-on practice teaching the program. (Offered on-site or open trainings)

Training of Trainers Workshops: 2 day advanced training workshop teaches participants how to deliver and conduct training. Requirements for becoming a Trainer of Trainers include successful completion of a LifeSkills Provider Training workshop and implementation of at least 1 full cycle of LST.