The Holyoake DRUMBEAT program was originally designed as an early intervention program for 'at risk' youth in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. The design of the program deliberately targeted known 'risk factors' and sought to strengthen 'protective factors' in order to reduce the likelihood of problematic drug and alcohol use by participants in the program.

Today DRUMBEAT is in use in a range of settings related to the drug and alcohol field, including use as:
Prevention - with 'at risk' population groups
Early Intervention - with young people known to be using drugs and alcohol
Complimentary Therapy - in conjunction with mainstream approaches to treatment
Treatment - As a stand-alone treatment with adults and young people with complex needs or who are resistant to traditional talk based approaches

DRUMBEAT is a flexible program that can be adapted by the trained facilitator to meet the needs of their clients. The program utilises a range of core strategies to engage and transfer social learning leading to behaviour change and these strategies can be delivered with different emphasis depending on the client group. The program also encourages facilitators to utilise their own strengths and creativity in order to deliver an appropriate and effective intervention.