Drinkaware launches dedicated website area for professionals to tackle youth drinking
24 Nov 2009
Drinkaware, the UK charity which aims to reduce alcohol harm, has launched a new section of its website dedicated to offering alcohol advice to professionals who work with young people.
The new area of the Drinkaware website can be viewed at www.drinkaware.co.uk/professionals and has been developed based on feedback from those working with young people, including youth workers and teachers.
Research has shown that 82% of professionals are concerned about the level of drinking among young people and 84% have stressed the importance of tackling this issue. Further to these findings, Drinkaware has developed useful, medically approved worksheets and workshop plans covering four key areas; Alcohol and You, Alcohol and Emotional Health, Alcohol and Risk-Taking and Alcohol and Sexual Health, with the latter three developed with accompanying factsheets. All resources are aimed at 11-16 year olds with additional activities for 14 –16 year olds.
Top research reports from governmental departments, including the DCSF, have also been summarised on the site, with links to other available resources. The site is designed to be interactive with professionals and encourages them to contribute their own examples of good practice.
Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: “The Professionals section of our website has been developed based on extensive feedback from those who work with young people on a daily basis. We have tested our workshop plans and worksheets with several youth groups and our selection of downloadable resources will be simple to use by youth workers who may never have tackled the issue of alcohol with young people before.
“Our intention with the new section of the site is to be a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all alcohol information, making it easier for professionals to raise the topic with young people.
59% of professionals we spoke to stressed they do not have enough support to deliver alcohol education to young people, which is crucial to successfully tackling the problem of alcohol misuse.”
In addition to providing support for professionals, Drinkaware has also developed a section of its site to provide advice and information for parents. www.drinkaware.co.uk/parents, offers tips for how parents can broach the issue of alcohol with young people, when it’s a good time to talk to your kids and safety measures that can be put in place if your child is drinking.
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For further information, including interviews with spokespeople, please contact:
Laura Bryce at Frank PR – 020 7693 6999/07890329191, drinkaware@frankpr.it , laurabryce@frankpr.it
Siobhan McCann at Drinkaware – 020 7307 7465 or 07827 971744, smccann@drinkaware.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
• All research is taken from an e-mail survey sent to the Guardian Professional database and promoted on the Drinkaware microsite. The Guardian Professional website and Drinkaware microsite encouraged those working with young people to fill out an 8 minute survey conducted via email. 337 professionals (14% teacher, 15% youth worker, 15% health professional, 16% social care, 40% other) from across the UK completed the survey from 6 to 13 March 2009.
• Drinkaware provides consumers with information to make informed decisions about the effects of alcohol on their lives and lifestyles. Our public education programmes, grants, expert information, and resources help create awareness and effect positive change. An independent charity established in 2007, Drinkaware works alongside the medical profession, the alcohol industry and government to achieve its goals. For further information visit www.drinkaware.co.uk
• Alongside the Chief Medical Officer’s guidance, Drinkaware advises that ideally all under-18s should enjoy an alcohol free childhood. However, if a child is 15 -17 years old and does decide to drink, they should do so no more than once a week and no more than the daily recommended unit guidelines for men and women.
• Drinkaware advises men to stay within the recommended guidelines of 3-4 units of alcohol per day (equivalent of a pint and a half of lager) and women to stay within 2-3 units per day (equivalent of a 175ml glass of wine).
- Page last updated by
- Root User, 19 Apr 2010.
