As the countdown to Christmas and New Year continues, Youth Solutions is ramping up its summer campaign to encourage young people to celebrate safely.
The youth drug and alcohol prevention and health promotion charity’s Safer Summer Era campaign was launched last month.
The aim was to make safety around summer’s celebratory gatherings and activities a priority through some planning ahead, practical advice and better decision making.
Chief executive officer Geraldine Deans says the campaign is about supporting young people to enjoy their summer and reduce potential risks from alcohol and drug related harm.
Mrs Deans said the campaign addressed the reality that alcohol remains one of the drugs causing most harm to populations worldwide, noting the peak celebration season was an optimum time to focus on sharing strategies for reducing harm and risky drinking.
“Safer Summer Era aims to provide practical tips that young people can consider and employ to help reduce their risk of harm and increase safe behaviours this celebration season,” Mrs Dean said.
“The more that we can do as a community to support safer celebrating practices and to really normalise reducing alcohol consumption and increase safe behaviours, the better the results will be, not just for the wellbeing, health and safety for our young people, but for the community as a whole.
“Like many parents, teachers, carers, and supporters of young people we too want everyone to have a great time this summer, but we want them to do it in a safe way.
“This campaign is just one of the ways Youth Solutions shares health literacy information and connections to support to achieve that.”
The Safer Summer Era toolkit includes practical tips for planning ahead, ensuring a safe way home and limiting alcohol harm, through to the steps and importance of calling for help in a drug or alcohol emergency.
Pictured are Youth Advisory Group volunteer Mahnee and Youth Solutions staff member, Bri, share the safer celebrating messages at a community outreach stall at Macarthur Square.
