What health and wellbeing education should look like in 2026

Schools across Australia are facing rapidly evolving challenges when it comes to student health and wellbeing.

Vaping, alcohol use, emerging drugs, mental health, respectful relationships, social media and digital overload are now everyday concerns for young people, families and the educators supporting them.

In 2026, health and wellbeing education must be evidence-based, easy for teachers to deliver, engaging for students, and fully aligned with the Australian Curriculum.

It must also speak to the realities of young people today: their experiences, their pressures, and their voices.

At OurFutures Institute, we believe prevention education is Australia’s strongest defence against harmful long-term behaviours. When students receive the right education at the right time, they are empowered to make safer, healthier choices that last long after they leave the classroom.

Education that works for teachers and students

Effective health and wellbeing programs in 2026 need to tick the following boxes. They need to be:

Easy to implement Teachers need access to programs that are ready to go, with minimal preparation, built-in activities and assessments, with automatic reporting. Teachers don’t need to feel like they have to be the experts on every topic, as a safe adult, they just need to deliver it.

Engaging for students Content must be relatable, interactive and co-designed with students and young people, so it reflects their world and speaks their language.

Low-cost and accessible Schools need high-impact learning without high budgets. That’s why the OurFutures Vaping Prevention Program is free for all Australian schools until mid-2027.

Professionally developing teachers High-quality PD should upskill teachers to confidently, identify risk, have difficult conversations and deliver sensitive topics. OurFutures Masterclass supports teachers and wellbeing staff to integrate prevention education across the year.

Co-designed with students and educators Real stories, relevant scenarios and youth-informed content underpin lasting behaviour change.

Focused on key and emerging issues Young people need credible information about vaping, drugs, alcohol, mental health, physical activity, screen time, sleep and nutrition, presented in a way that feels authentic, empowering and harm-minimisation focused, not preachy.

Centred on safety and wellbeing When safety and wellbeing drive curriculum decisions, schools create environments where healthy choices become the norm.

How schools can implement OurFutures programs across the year

Here is an overview of how secondary schools can roll out OurFutures programs across the PDHPE and wellbeing calendar in 2026.

Term 1 - Start the year strong

• Years 7 and 8 Health4Life (6 lessons)

Ensure students who are starting high school are empowered with the skills and knowledge to navigate the emerging challenges that come with a new school and playground.

Equip them with the best health and wellbeing education, empowering them with the skills and knowledge that cover diet, physical activity, sleep, screen time, mental health, drugs, nicotine and alcohol in one comprehensive program.

Health4Life aligns with PDHPE topics on health behaviours, decision-making and risk. It also pairs perfectly with youth awareness days such as:

• Safer Internet Day (10 February)
• National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (20 March)
• Harmony Week (16 – 22 March)

Term 2 - Students get the facts

• Years 7 and 8 - Vaping Prevention Program (4 lessons)
• Years 9, 10 and 11 - Cannabis and Psychostimulants (6 lessons)

With vaping and cannabis use becoming more visible in youth culture and online spaces, students need credible, non-judgemental information. Our programs counter misinformation and normalisation, providing harm-minimisation strategies and real-world refusal skills.

All programs are LGBTQIA+ inclusive, with diverse characters that reflect modern Australian classrooms. The programs also fit with units on drug education, personal safety and community wellbeing. They also pair with awareness days such as:

• World Health Day (7 April)
• Youth Week (16 - 26 April)
• IDAHOBIT (May)

Term 3 - Alcohol and Drug Prevention for the whole school

• Year 7 - Alcohol Prevention Program (6 lessons)
• Years 8 and 9 - Alcohol and Cannabis (6 lessons)
• Years 10 and 11 - MDMA and Emerging Drugs (4 lessons)

These programs support student health and wellbeing through comprehensive prevention education. They are age appropriate, with storylines that engage students and speak their language. They also pair with awareness days such as:

• Wear It Purple Day (28 Aug)
• International Overdose Awareness Day (31 Aug)
• R U OK? Day (10 Sept)

Term 4 - Mental Health Month

• Years 8, 9 and 10 - Mental Health (6 lessons)

Perfect to help students manage the stress of exams and end-of-year assignments. Enables students to put their mental health first. Helps students increase knowledge of depression and anxiety and gain practical strategies to cope with stress and the everyday pressures of being a teen.

The Mental Health program has strong alignment to the mental health PDHPE curriculum. It aligns with awareness days such as:

• Mental Health Month (October)
• World Mental Health Day (10 October)
• World Kindness Day (13 November)

Why schools choose OurFutures

• Clinically tested and backed by world-leading university research
• Co-designed with students and teachers to ensure relevant and engaging learning
• Each program is only 4 - 6 lessons
• Teacher-friendly with minimal preparation and built-in activities
• Mapped to the Australian Curriculum
• Proven to reduce student risk-taking behaviours across Vaping, Alcohol and Cannabis programs.

Most importantly, students enjoy the learning and engage deeply with the content. Teachers consistently report fewer classroom behaviour issues during OurFutures lessons.

Register your school today

Want to strengthen your school’s health and wellbeing curriculum in 2026? Speak with an OurFutures consultant about how we can support your school, wellbeing leaders and whole-school approach.

Our team can help you:

• Plan your 2026 wellbeing curriculum and schedule
• Provide personal development to staff through OurFutures Masterclass
• Onboard and engage with teachers who are delivering the program
• Empower and equip your school and students with the tools and resources to make healthier choices

The OurFutures Vaping Prevention Program is federally funded and free for all Australian schools until mid-2028. All other OurFutures programs start from as little as $5 per student, ensuring accessible, high-impact learning for every school.

Register your school now or go to OurFutures Institute to learn more.

Email: info@ourfuturesinstitute.org.au | Phone: 02 7908 4027

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