Alcohol and Safety Resource and response to recent TV programmes

Recent TV programmes, such as BBC 3's 'Under-age and over the limit' and Channel 4's 'What happens in Kavos and Sunny Beach' have highlighted the massive role alcohol and binge drinking has to play as a right of passage for British teens.

The BBC 3 documentary had some alarming statistics, including:

• "Every 18 hours someone in the North East of England dies from an alcohol related illness and it is increasing amongst the young - in England alcohol related deaths amongst 15-34 year olds rose by 75% between 1991 and 2011."
  
  

• "At the last count 320 16 year old or younger in treatment for alcohol dependency in North East of England"
  
  

• "The North East is currently witnessing a 300% increase in alcohol related liver disease in 30-34 year olds - 20 years ago disease typically found in 50-60 year old's"
  
  

Whilst Channel 4's Kavos and Sunny Beach programmes followed teenagers away from home and showed that excessive drinking often led to sexual activity, involvement in fights,  drug use, loss of inhibitions and idiotic behaviour.

Seeing many of the issues and dangers alcohol can cause within the UK’s clubbing scene, founder of Street Angels - Christian Nightlife Initiatives, Paul Blakey MBE, had an idea to design an ‘Alcohol and Safety Education Resource’ that could be used within schools, youth  groups, uniformed groups and by parents. Speaking to the local schools worker, Tony Buck from Christian Initiative in Calderdale Schools, the idea soon became a reality.

Using experiences from life on the streets with Street Angels, the pack seeks to help teachers or youth leaders gain an understanding of what young people already understand  about alcohol and a ‘good night out’. The activities and resources available in this educational resource help students to engage in this important topic in a fun and interactive way. Young people are able to learn, reinforce and apply facts about alcohol safety to their own lives and the lives of their friends. We recently piloted the resource in a local secondary school and delivered the sessions in partnership with regular Street Angel Volunteers from the local area. We found this joined up approach enabled the students to relate fully with the material as many of the stories they heard had happened in places that they are familiar with. This brought home the reality of some of the problems commonly associated with alcohol misuse as some case studies had happened in the students’ local community.

• “A refreshing lesson that reaches parts other resources can’t reach!” Mr M Stephenson, Head of RE, Rastrick High School.
  
  
• “I was astounded to find out how much the young people knew about alcohol and the young people were flabbergasted to discover the effect that alcohol could have in such a short period of time - very much an education.” Michele Sutcliffe,Youth Leader, King’s Church, Halifax
  
  
• “It was entertaining to watch people trying to catch a ball wearing beer goggles, and really interactive. It was also really interesting to learn about how quickly alcohol can affect you and what it can do. I think everyone in the group was engaged, and it will make me think carefully about drinking too much alcohol myself and with my friends.” Becky, young person
  
  

Paul Blakey explains, “Seeing young people get into all sorts of predicaments whilst on a  night out made me realise that many of them are quite vulnerable around the night-time of our towns and cities. Some didn’t understand different units and strengths of alcohol and some would leave themselves open to robbery, assault or attack. By linking what we see on the streets as Street Angels with the reality and facts of alcohol and the need to keep yourself and your friends safe we hope that young people will have safe, enjoyable and responsible nights out as a result of this education resource.”

The pack is available as a PDF download and is suitable for Teachers, Youth Workers, Schools Workers, Health Care Professionals and parents wishing to communicate to young people a clear and comprehensive advice around alcohol safety for them and their friends.

You can purchase from www.angelresources.org.uk for a suggested £10 donation. The existing resource is suitable for all secondary aged students (11-18) and we a currently working on a new edition that will be suitable for primary school students (8-11).