The Upper Hunter Liqour Accord has been coordinating an initiative for schools all over the region in Muswellbrook called Step In The Right Direction.

Step in the Right Direction seeks to engage students in the consequences of their actions through presentations by paramedics, police officers, reformed addicts, prison inmates and officers and alcohol and drug counsellors. 

“The truth of these people’s experiences are so real that the pupils are engaged,” former drug and alcohol counsellor Garry Frost said. 

“It’s not an academic approach or someone with a degree preaching; it’s speakers of all backgrounds sharing real stories.” 

The program has also been picked up by the Central Coast and has been running in Muswellbrook for 10 years. 

Deciding to implement the program into Singleton was made unanimously at a local liquor accord meeting this month.

President of the local liquor accord Gerard McMillan was hopeful the program could start in Singleton this year. 

Mr Frost, who usually finishes off the presentation, talks about his own story and encourages teenagers to speak up and seek help. 

“We use different speakers each year who all have varying degrees, in some cases their life were changed forever by the decisions they made,” he said.