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Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| January 30, 2026

How schools can implement OurFutures programs across 2026

Schools across Australia are facing rapidly evolving challenges when it comes to student health and wellbeing. Vaping, alcohol, emerging drugs,…
January 30, 2026Read More
Media ReleasesPrevention Programs for students| January 27, 2026

OurFutures Institute calls for federal funding to tackle youth gambling crisis

OurFutures Institute, the organisation behind Australia's nationally-adopted youth Vaping Prevention Program, has called on the federal government to fund Australia’s…
January 27, 2026Read More
In the NewsPrevention Programs for students| January 27, 2026

Federal Budget Submission: National Gambling Prevention Program for Young Australians

Protecting the Next Generation A National Gambling Prevention Program for Young Australians Executive Summary & Funding Request The OurFutures Institute…
January 27, 2026Read More
Real StoriesVaping| December 16, 2025

Sorell School visit driven by community, confidence and conversation

Walking through the gates of Sorell School in southern Tasmania, one thing is immediately clear: this is a community deeply…
December 16, 2025Read More
Prevention Programs for studentsPrevention Programs for students| November 18, 2025

Philanthropy in action: creating ripple effects nationwide

When philanthropy meets evidence-based prevention, transformation happens. Since May 2025, the partnership between the Elaine Walters Foundation (EWF) and OurFutures…
November 18, 2025Read More
Prevention Programs for studentsReal StoriesVaping| November 18, 2025

St Luke’s Catholic College: Leading a new standard in vaping prevention

How St Luke’s Catholic College equipped 296 students with the knowledge and confidence to make healthier choices At St Luke’s…
November 18, 2025Read More
In the NewsMedia ReleasesPrevention Programs for studentsVaping| October 15, 2025

Celebrating the Launch of the Vaping Prevention Program

On 13 August 2025, the OurFutures Institute proudly launched the Vaping Prevention Program at the University of Sydney’s Chau Chak…
October 15, 2025Read More
In the NewsMedia ReleasesPrevention Programs for studentsVaping| October 15, 2025

Landmark Research Announced in Parliamentary Press Conference

On 29 July 2025, the OurFutures Institute proudly unveiled the results of the world’s first randomised controlled trial into vaping…
October 15, 2025Read More
Two high school students talking about the harms of vaping
In the NewsVaping| July 29, 2025

OurFutures Vaping Prevention Trial Results

When we talk about being evidence-based at OurFutures, we’re not just talking about any type of evidence. We’re talking about…
July 29, 2025Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| June 26, 2025

What is Harm-Minimisation?

You’ll often hear us talking about the harm-minimisation approach we take in our education programs. But what does that actually…
June 26, 2025Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| June 5, 2025

The impact of tobacco/e-cigarette use on youth wellbeing: the ‘Big 6’ breakdown blog series

And with the final piece of the wheel in place, the finale of our Big 6 blog series is here!…
June 5, 2025Read More
Curriculum and School AccessEducational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| May 12, 2025

OurFutures and the Elaine Walters Foundation

We have some exciting news to share. The Elaine Walters Foundation is partnering with OurFutures to provide high schools in…
May 12, 2025Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| April 30, 2025

The impact of alcohol on youth mental health: the ‘Big 6’ breakdown blog series

We’re almost at the end of our Big 6 blog series! Welcome to the fifth installment of this six-part series…
April 30, 2025Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| April 15, 2025

The impact of screen time on youth mental health: the ‘Big 6’ breakdown blog series

Here we are with the fourth part of our six-part series covering the “Big 6” health behaviours that play an…
April 15, 2025Read More
Prevention Programs for studentsYouth Mental Health| April 4, 2025

Partnering with Education Today to promote youth health and wellbeing

We at OurFutures are actively working towards a bright and healthy tomorrow, by helping to prevent mental health issues, substance…
April 4, 2025Read More
Curriculum and School AccessPrevention Programs for studentsVaping| March 28, 2025

OurFutures Alcohol Program info pack

We often get asked for information on our prevention programs so that educators, health professionals, community health & wellbeing officers,…
March 28, 2025Read More
Curriculum and School AccessPrevention Programs for studentsVaping| March 21, 2025

OurFutures Mental Health Program info pack

We often get asked for information on our prevention programs so that educators, health professionals, community health & wellbeing officers,…
March 21, 2025Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| March 21, 2025

The impact of sleep on youth mental health: the ‘Big 6’ breakdown blog series

Welcome to the third article in a six-part series, covering “The Big 6:” the six key modifiable health behaviours that…
March 21, 2025Read More
Curriculum and School AccessPrevention Programs for studentsVaping| March 16, 2025

OurFutures Vaping Prevention Program info pack

We often get asked for information on our Vaping Prevention Program so that educators, health professionals, community health & wellbeing…
March 16, 2025Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| March 7, 2025

The impact of physical activity on youth wellbeing: ‘Big 6’ breakdown blog series

This article is the second in a six-part series, covering “The Big 6:” the six key modifiable health behaviours that…
March 7, 2025Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| February 19, 2025

The impact of dietary intake in youth mental health: ‘Big 6’ breakdown blog series

Background Adolescence is a complex developmental period, and young people can experience diverse and multi-faceted risks to health. Research has…
February 19, 2025Read More
Drug useEducational ArticlesIn the News| February 4, 2025

What is CanKet and what are the side effects?

CanKet (also known as 2F-NENDCK) is a novel synthetic recreational drug, only recently discovered in 2022 by scientists from The…
February 4, 2025Read More
Prevention Programs for students| January 31, 2025

Health4Life is now live! Empowering young people to improve their physical health

We are excited to announce that Health4Life is now available as part of our evidence-based suite of prevention programs! What…
January 31, 2025Read More
Curriculum and School AccessVaping| December 17, 2024

Government funding for our Vaping Program: what next?

By now you’ve probably heard the exciting news about the national roll-out of OurFutures’ Vaping Prevention Program under government funding…
December 17, 2024Read More
In the NewsVaping| November 28, 2024

OurFutures Vaping Program in the media

There has been a considerable amount of media coverage on the exciting national roll-out of our Vaping Prevention Program for…
November 28, 2024Read More
Drug useEducational Articles| November 27, 2024

What are Nitazenes?

Nitazenes are highly potent synthetic opioids that are an emerging drug of concern in Australia and overseas. Opioids are drugs…
November 27, 2024Read More
In the NewsMedia ReleasesVaping| November 15, 2024

National roll-out of OurFutures Vaping Prevention program for young Australians

This week the Hon Mark Butler MP (Minister for Health and Aged Care) made the exciting announcement that the federal…
November 15, 2024Read More
Drug useEducational ArticlesVaping| October 28, 2024

What are dry herb vapes and are they legal in Australia?

The regulations around vaping in Australia have been undergoing significant changes recently, with updates that aim to address public health…
October 28, 2024Read More
Drug useEducational Articles| October 15, 2024

What is Oxycodone?

Oxycodone is an opioid drug used to relieve severe pain. Opioids are drugs that bind to opioid receptors in the…
October 15, 2024Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for students| September 11, 2024

The Matilda Centre and OurFutures: real world impact from world leading research in prevention education

You may hear us referring to The Matilda Centre when talking about OurFutures, and the research base and researchers involved…
September 11, 2024Read More
Educational ArticlesIn the NewsPrevention Programs for studentsPrevention Programs for studentsVapingYouth Mental Health| September 4, 2024

Depressed teenagers twice as likely to vape, study finds

A new study from The University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre has revealed a link between poor mental health and e-cigarette…
September 4, 2024Read More
Educational ArticlesPrevention Programs for studentsPrevention Programs for students| August 13, 2024

Why we use combined text and audio in our programs

Have you noticed that you comprehend information differently depending on whether you’re listening to it or reading it? It is…
August 13, 2024Read More
Drug useEducational Articles| July 22, 2024

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug that is prescribed as an analgesic (pain reliever) for severe acute or chronic pain.…
July 22, 2024Read More
Educational ArticlesIn the NewsVaping| July 15, 2024

New vaping laws update

Vaping/e-cigarette reforms have been continuously implemented across Australia this year. Things are always changing in this space, and it can…
July 15, 2024Read More
Prevention Programs for students| June 12, 2024

Health4Life coming soon!

OurFutures are excited to be adding the Health4Life program to our suite of evidence-based, curriculum-aligned online health modules! The Health4Life…
June 12, 2024Read More
In the NewsMedia ReleasesVaping| April 17, 2024

OurFutures Vaping program showcased by Federal Ministers

  (L-R) Kate Ross Senior Research Program Officer, Professor Cath Chapman, Ken Wallace CEO OurFutures Institute, The Honourable Federal Education…
April 17, 2024Read More
Youth Mental Health| April 8, 2024

How to have a conversation with your teen about mental health – a guide for parents

Adolescence is a formative time of exploration, development, and multiple physical, emotional, social and psychological changes. Emotional ups and downs…
April 8, 2024Read More
Prevention Programs for students| March 20, 2024

The evidence behind our prevention programs

The OurFutures programs have been rigorously evaluated across 8 large cluster randomised controlled trials in Australia (with 240 schools, >21,000…
March 20, 2024Read More
Vaping| March 13, 2024

How to have a conversation with your teen about vaping

Young people may be exposed to e-cigarettes (“vapes”) via friends, social media, or other sources. Ongoing open, honest communication with…
March 13, 2024Read More
Vaping| March 12, 2024

What’s happening with Australia’s vape laws?

You may have heard about the vape (“e-cigarette”) bans being implemented across Australia. The federal government’s approach to address the…
March 12, 2024Read More
Curriculum and School AccessPrevention Programs for students| February 22, 2024

NSW: Accessing our programs and how we map to the NSW curriculum

In NSW you can access our programs directly via our platform.   NSW Curriculum Alcohol Module - NSW Curriculum -…
February 22, 2024Read More
Prevention Programs for students| February 16, 2024

Our Awards

At OurFutures, we're very proud to have earned a number of prestigious awards: thirty since 2012. We have an exceptional…
February 16, 2024Read More
Drug use| February 5, 2024

Chroming: What is it?

You may have heard of the term “chroming.” It refers to the act of inhaling solvents and other volatile substances…
February 5, 2024Read More
Curriculum and School AccessPrevention Programs for students| January 28, 2024

How the OurFutures courses save time for teachers

We understand how busy teachers are, and how important it is to not add to a workload that is already…
January 28, 2024Read More
Drug use| December 18, 2023

Common drugs used by youth in Australia

One of the key tenants of the theory underlying the OurFutures eHealth modules is normative education. This means we want…
December 18, 2023Read More
Prevention Programs for studentsVaping| December 11, 2023

Behind the research: What does “evidence-based” really mean?

What do we really mean when we say that the OurFutures programs are evidence-based and clinically proven? These could come…
December 11, 2023Read More
Vaping| November 27, 2023

The influence of social media on vape use

Exposure to e-cigarette advertisements has been shown to significantly increase susceptibility to vaping amongst adolescents . A recent study published…
November 27, 2023Read More
AlcoholDrug use| November 13, 2023

Alcohol and other drug use among disadvantaged youth

There are a huge number of factors that increase a young person’s risk of using alcohol or other drugs, including…
November 13, 2023Read More
Vaping| November 1, 2023

Vaping infographic

Here is a handy vaping infographic with 5 vaping facts you may not know. Share with your students and see…
November 1, 2023Read More
Vaping| September 22, 2023

What are the known risks of vaping?

Vapes are often seen to be the lesser of two evils when compared with tobacco cigarettes. This has partly driven…
September 22, 2023Read More
Vaping| September 22, 2023

Worldwide Policy Trends to Ban Vaping

Numerous European countries are contemplating banning e-cigarettes. France has announced that it will ban disposable vapes as part of its…
September 22, 2023Read More
Vaping| September 22, 2023

Australia Leads the world with Vaping Crackdown

Australia has taken a bold step forward in tackling the vaping crisis currently facing many countries throughout the world, through…
September 22, 2023Read More
Vaping| September 22, 2023

The Burden on Schools, and Tips on How to Tackle Vaping in Schools

Schools’ Experiences with Youth Vaping A University of Melbourne study into educator’s perceptions of vapes found after surveying 218 school…
September 22, 2023Read More
Prevention Programs for studentsVaping| September 21, 2023

Background Information about the OurFutures Vaping Trial

Effective and scalable prevention approaches are urgently needed to address the rapidly increasing rates of e-cigarette use among adolescents. School-based…
September 21, 2023Read More
Curriculum and School AccessPrevention Programs for students| August 10, 2023

Curriculum Mapping: How our online programs are linked to the National & State Curricula

We often get asked how our programs are mapped to the Australian & State curricula.  Here's a handy list of…
August 10, 2023Read More
Vaping| August 1, 2023

How to Tackle Vaping in Schools: Some tips from Matilda Centre’s Vaping expert, Dr. Emily Stockings

Arm yourself with the facts so you can have frank, non-judgmental conversations. Positive Choices Factsheet NSW Health Factsheet Start a…
August 1, 2023Read More
Curriculum and School AccessPrevention Programs for students| July 26, 2023

Victorian schools can access OurFutures for free through the Mental Health Menu

The Victorian government has invested $217.8 million over four years to support student mental health and wellbeing, including $200 million…
July 26, 2023Read More
AlcoholDrug useVapingWebinars| July 19, 2023

WEBINAR: What Works: Alcohol, Tobacco, Vaping, and Other Drug Education in Schools

In this webinar, you will hear from Australia’s leading experts on what works in school based drug education. Find out…
July 19, 2023Read More
Prevention Programs for studentsVaping| June 17, 2023

VAPING: The first rigorous evaluation of a school-based vaping prevention program in Australia.

The OurFutures Vaping Program is a school-based eHealth program co-designed with young people, teachers, and experts in the field, to…
June 17, 2023Read More
AlcoholDrug useYouth Mental Health| June 17, 2023

The Big Six modifiable factors for youth mental health

What if there was a key that held the answer to improving the mental health of Australian adolescents? Well, it…
June 17, 2023Read More
AlcoholPrevention Programs for students| June 17, 2023

The 7-Year Effectiveness of School-Based Alcohol Use Prevention

At 7-year follow-up, students in all 3 intervention groups reported reduced odds of alcohol-related harms compared to the control group…
June 17, 2023Read More
Drug use| May 17, 2023

Evolving Drug Laws in Australia

Australia's approach to drug laws has undergone significant changes in recent years, reflecting a global shift towards more progressive and…
May 17, 2023Read More
AlcoholDrug useYouth Mental Health| May 15, 2023

The Importance of Prevention in Mental Health and Substance Use

How often do we hear fire alarms and practice drills in schools, workplaces and apartment buildings? We practice these drills…
May 15, 2023Read More
Reviews| March 19, 2023

Education Today reviews OurFutures Institute

For better or worse, alcohol and other substances are part of many of our cultural rituals, that probably won’t change.…
March 19, 2023Read More