YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALCOHOL

The Investing In Our Youth board has set target areas for 2011/12 and a key focus will be 'young people and alcohol'.

A number of strategies are in place to minimise harm and reduce underage drinking in the South West region. Investing In Our Youth successfully received funding through the WA Department for Communities - Youth to facilitate a small budget for alcohol awareness activities that utilise the skills of young people. Be Alcohol Aware media release October 2010.

Investing In Our Youth has completed judging competition entries in the Be Alcohol Aware Competition. The competition called for young people aged 12-17 who were residents of the South West to submit a poster or u-tube video that aligned with current alcohol guidelines for young people under the age of 18.

These are:-

FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, NOT DRINKING IS THE SAFEST OPTION.

YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 15-17 YEARS SHOULD DELAY THEIR FIRST DRINK FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 15 YEARS ARE AT GREATEST RISK OF HARM FROM DRINKING AND IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. 

Winner of the u-tube competition was Jessica O'Donovan and her entry can be viewed on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agjf8cm5xwI

Winner of the computer assisted poster was Rebecca Brown. Winner of the hand drawn poster in the 15-17 year age group was Alec Howell, and the 12-14 year age group winner was Mitchell Hough. Sample posters can be viewed in our photo gallery. 

Investing In Our Youth would like to thank The Apprentice and Traineeship Company  and the South West Community Drug Service Team for providing the prize pool for this competition. 

See this recent report to the WA parliament recommending new approaches to the regulation of alcohol Education and Health Standing Report Number 10, June 2011 Investing In Our Youth urge you to email the Minister for Mental Health, Helen Morton (helen.morton@mp.wa.gov.au), and ask her to support the recommendations in the above report.

Young People and Alcohol: A Solution Focused Seminar. Funded by the AERF and Healthway and with the support of the SW Population Health Unit, IIOY recently hosted a seminar with key note speakers WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan: Bruce Clark from the Leigh Clark Foundation; Prof Mike Daube from the McCusker Foundation, and Rosemary White a representative of the Alcohol Education and Rehabiliation Foundation. 

At the seminar WA Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan said that the culture of drinking had changed over the past 15-20 years through larger liquor outlets, cheaper alcohol and the way in which alcohol was presented and marketed to young people.

The Commissioner’s main message was a call for more investment in young people. Young people needed more alcohol free activities that relieved boredom and provided positive leadership models. The community must support organisations like the PCYC and sporting clubs and youth activities that provided purpose and connection to the community.

Other key messages from the seminar included a very heartfelt call by Bruce Clark for legislation that would provide penalties for adults who supplied under-aged children and young people with alcohol without their parent’s permission. This legislation has already been enacted in Queensland, NSW, Tasmania and Victoria. For more information link to the Leigh Clark Foundation website www.leighclarkfoundation.com.au

Professor Mike Daube from the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth compared progress on curbing alcohol harm to the journey over the last two decades with reduction in cigarette smoking. Much could be done, and should be done to reduce harmful alcohol use. He agreed that investment in alcohol free activities for young people was important, as was education for both parents and young people. Parents, peers and availability of alcohol were key factors in youth alcohol use.

Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation (AERF) spokesperson Rosemary White said that messages about standard drinks and how long alcohol stayed in the system were useful. It was important to note that not all young people drink alcohol. Rosemary cited a Victorian study that showed that heavy drinking was not the norm. Young people who do not drink should be recognised for their responsible behaviour.

Speakers agreed that there was no ‘silver bullet’ solution but that alcohol free activities, education for parents and youth, and legislation on regulation of alcohol all had a role in reducing alcohol harm.

You can access the following seminar presentations from Prof Mike Daube, Bruce Leigh and Rosemary White.