Based on our 8 years solid experience in tobacco prevention sessions and workshops in schools among teenagers aged between 12 and 16, TFI has launched early 2008 a new concept of tobacco prevention clubs in schools.
A club has been created in each school visited for the prevention campaign. In average 15 students were motivated to be enrolled in each club.

The objective is to make our current approach more global and sustainable in time, therefore to work on building capacity among teenagers, with the objective to empower them to fight themselves for a smoke free healthy environment, without tobacco, where they can live and where the liberty of non-smoker is respected.

1) Our specific objectives are:

1. To make teenagers aware about their right to live in a healthy environment.
2. To involve them actively in the enforcement of the law about smoking prohibition in public areas, and specifically in schools.
3. To empower teenagers to lead tobacco prevention among their friends, parents, teachers, school headship…
4. To help teenagers promote alternative healthier activities (sports, music, culture…) among their colleagues, that will enable them express and develop their personality in a healthy way instead of smoking.

2) Target population:

- Approximately 18 schools: Clubs were created during the first semester 2008 in all the schools visited. These schools were chosen in such a way to include public and private schools, non-religious and religious schools.
- Members of the clubs: 15 students in average were enrolled per club.
- People which will be targeted by the activities of the clubs: Teenagers of the same school, teachers, school management, parents, young people and associations in the neighborhood of the school.

3) Activities of the clubs:
In line with the guidelines provided by TFI for the year, each club proposes its own plan of activities. TFI gathers with each club in order to debate constructively and exchange ideas on these activities. Examples of activities:

1. Activities targeting to help the management of the school to be a “non smoking school”:
• By convincing the management of the school to enforce the legislation prohibiting smoking in public areas, on teachers and students.
• By posting signs prohibiting smoking in all areas of the school.
2. Activities targeting to create awareness and conviction about the will to be free from the manipulation by tobacco producers, about passive smoking, bad effects of smoking, respect towards others’ freedom … Activities can be conferences, round tables, workshops, posters, brochures…
3. Activities targeting to create awareness among parents which will convince them not to smoke while they are in presence of their children.
4. Activities to promote among teenagers activities which offer them alternative healthy occupations (instead of spending their time to smoke). Those activities can be art exhibitions, music concerts, sports competition, rally-paper, mini-marathon, …

• Each year, our yearly closing event enjoys a wide media coverage (TV, press and radio). However, we count of course on the support of WHO in order to ensure a heavy presence of the media channels.
• In TFI “Unchained” newsletter. Special theme on Tobacco Free Youth. Distribution to all schools, concerned ministries, international organizations, companies, other NGO’s, TFI team, friends and sponsors.
• On our website.