Although their #MatesKeepItSafe campaign has wrapped up, Youth Solutions say the key message to look out for one another while drinking and socialising continues to be relevant all year round.
The health promotion campaign, which was launched in early November and wrapped up last week, supported and provided resources to young people across Macarthur and Wingecarribee about how to minimise their risk of alcohol related harm while drinking and celebrating with mates.
It aimed to equip young people with the knowledge and the skills to make informed decisions to keep themselves and their friends out of harm’s way while out celebrating.
More than 3,000 safer celebration guides and promotional products were distributed to young people and community members from November 2019 to the end of January 2020 at various community stalls, events and activities across the two regions.
The campaign also expanded its reach to thousands of other young people via its strong online and social media strategies.
Youth Solutions chief executive officer Geraldine Dean thanked sponsors and the community for their support.
“Equipping our young people, and wider community, with the information, education, skills and support they need to be healthy, safe and connected is something we are constrantly striving for at Youth Solutions,” Mrs Dean said.
“The Safer Celebrations project and the #MatesKeepItSafe campaign form an important cog in the wheel for us for working towards that goal of preventing our young people from drug and alcohol related harm and we encourage you all to look out for your mates and take a mindful approach to your celebrations year round.”
Youth Solutions community relations and communications coordinator Amanda Dillon said the campaign, and in particular its promotional products, were well received and would be used by the youth service all year round to engage with young people.
“We will be able to share our remaining fun freebies and our Safer Celebrations Guides from this campaign with the young people we work with throughout the year,’’ Ms Dillon said.
“Our Safer Celebrations Guides in particular include information about how to respond in emergency situations, drink driving, tips for safer drinking practices, as well as information about supporting your mates and safe posting to social media.
“These items, along with our campaign video, will be shared with the young people who take part in our health education workshops and will help to generate healthy discussion around safer partying practices.”
