SOS Drug Impact

Keele is proud to be an accredited member of the SOS Drug Impact pilot programme.  

Drug and Alcohol Impact is an accreditation programme run by Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS) - a student-led education charity which focuses on sustainability. The programme seeks to create a social norm of responsible alcohol consumption by students and refocuses the conversation on drugs towards reducing harm and building healthier, safer, more productive student communities.

Being accredited means that we have a successful partnership between Keele University and KeeleSU to implement and evaluate an institutional approach to managing student alcohol consumption and substance misuse. Keele is committed to taking a whole campus approach to ensure our students are supported with any substance use issues via a harm reduction policy. This is primarily managed by a Drug & Alcohol Steering Group that consists of stakeholders from Student Services, Security, KeeleSU, KPA and academic staff.

Since Keele’s accredited Alcohol Impact award in 2017, Student Services and Keele SU have worked together to develop more focused work on substance misuse.

We have established a close working relationship with local substance recovery service Staffordshire Treatment and Recovery Service (Stars) to whom they can make student referrals. We have also delivered several harm reduction campaigns, including education on the effects of drugs, spiking awareness, responsible alcohol consumption, and raising awareness of the links between substance use and mental health.

Part of this work has involved the sharing of a student survey with all Keele students which allows us to identify trends and patterns in consumption behaviours. You can read our latest 2023 Drug and Alcohol Impact Survey Report

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