Peer Power: Liberton S3’s lead the way on vaping awareness

We recently had the pleasure of supporting an inspiring project led by a group of S3 pupils from Liberton High School. As part of their work around peer education, these young people took the lead in creating and delivering sessions all about vaping, to P7 pupils from Liberton’s feeder primary schools. The goal? To raise awareness, spark conversation, and give younger pupils a real insight into the choices and challenges they might face as they head into high school.

The session kicked off with a short film that the S3s had written, filmed, and starred in themselves. It followed a storyline about what could happen if someone was caught vaping at high school, showing clearly the possible consequences and encouraging the P7s to think ahead. The pupils then gave a short presentation packed with facts — from how vaping can affect your lungs, brain and heart, to how it can impact the people around you. Their knowledge, confidence and delivery were seriously impressive.

There was also time for some great group discussion. The S3s encouraged the P7s to chat with their classmates about what they already knew about vaping, the responses were thoughtful and varied. Some pupils pointed out that vapes are addictive and harmful, others mentioned how expensive they can be and how choosing not to vape could help them save money and stay healthy. There were even conversations about the environmental impact and how vapes come in lots of different colours and flavours — all of which led to some brilliant critical thinking.

To keep things engaging, the session included a series of fun, interactive activities. After a quick icebreaker (lining up in height order without speaking!), the S3s split the group into three teams, each rotating through a different activity. There was a Go Fish–style card game focused on vape facts, a quickfire quiz on iPads, and a “Pass the Vape” game — all designed to get pupils thinking, talking, and remembering the key messages from earlier. Games were packed with quick quiz questions, giving the P7s a chance to test their knowledge in a relaxed, informal way.

After delivering the sessions across multiple schools, the S3s took time to reflect on what had gone well and what they might improve next time. They told us they’d seen a real boost in their confidence, especially when it came to public speaking and presenting to large groups. They noticed how their sessions improved each time, and how practice really helped them grow into their roles. They also shared some really thoughtful ideas for what they’d do differently — like simplifying some of the games, improving their question sets to better suit the audience, and making sure there’s always a back-up plan in case someone can’t attend on the day. It was amazing to see how reflective and proactive they were, and how much they learned from the experience.

We also gathered feedback from some of the P7 teachers who attended, and they were full of praise for the project. They highlighted how useful the session had been for their pupils, how engaged they were throughout, and how valuable it was to see older pupils taking on leadership roles. It gave the P7s a chance to ask questions, get a real glimpse into high school life, and hear important health messages from peers they could really relate to.

At Fast Forward, we’re always proud to support peer-led projects like this. When young people lead the conversation, the results are powerful — creative, confident, and genuinely impactful. Huge congratulations to the team at Liberton High School for their hard work and leadership. You really made a difference.

Want to find out more about how we support peer education across Scotland? Head to www.fastforward.org.uk to explore our programmes and resources.