Edinburgh Napier University

  Executive Summary
This report presents findings from a process evaluation of the ASSIST (A Stop Smoking in Schools Trial) pilot in Scotland. ASSIST is a licensed peer-led, schoolbased smoking prevention programme that encourages the dissemination of nonsmoking norms by training S1 (aged 12 to 13 years) and S2 (aged 13 to 14 years) students to work as peer supporters. Peer supporters are trained to have informal
conversations with other students about the risks of smoking and the benefits of not smoking. The programme consists of seven training and feedback sessions with the peer supporters (peer nomination, peer recruitment meeting, peer supporter training and four follow-up sessions - where peer supporters meet with trainers and receive ongoing support), delivered over a 14-week cycle by trainers from outside the school who have attended a three-day course to enable them to deliver the programme.
ASSIST was previously evaluated through a large cluster randomised trial of 59 schools in South Wales and Avon, England with results published in the Lancet in 2008. Findings from this trial showed that ASSIST was effective and cost-effective at reducing smoking prevalence in young people. In 2010 ASSIST became a licensed programme and DECIPHer-IMPACT1 Ltd was established to provide
training, materials, support and quality assurance to maintain effective delivery.
http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00515631.pdf
http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00515634.pdf