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Alcohol Action Station E-newsletter
A recent survey of Australians revealed that 84% of people are concerned about the impact of alcohol on the community. Are you one of them?
Alcohol Action Station is a fortnightly e-newsletter which aims to provide West Australians with the information and tools to empower community members to take action on harms from alcohol.
Sign up using the form on the left and be part of the action!
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Young people
Do you want to help reduce harms from alcohol among other young people?
We’re looking for young people to help us raise awareness of harmful drinking and call for action to prevent harm from alcohol.
Interested? Contact us to find out more and let us know you’re interested.
Here are just some of the ways young people can get involved in action to reduce harm from alcohol:
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Join a youth Local Drug Action Group to get involved in activities to prevent alcohol and other drug related harm in your local community. To find out more, visit www.localdrugaction.com.au, phone (08) 9471 0434 or free call: 1800 LDAG 07, or email
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.
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University students
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Monitor alcohol promotions at your university;
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Talk to tavern management what they are or could be doing to prevent students drinking at harmful levels and what they are or could be doing to promote responsible drinking (e.g. display posters, pamphlets and wallet cards – to order, visit the Alcohol Think Again website);
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Talk to your university’s Student Guild about what they are or could be doing to promote responsible drinking on and off campus;
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Are you concerned that alcohol is the focus of university social events? Contact the event organisers to let them know that alcohol doesn’t need to be the focus of events and that many students are being excluded when the focus is on alcohol.
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High-school students
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Talk to your teachers and school principal about what alcohol education they are or could be providing to students;
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Talk to your school’s student council and P&C Committee. Let them know that alcohol education is important to you.
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If you are concerned about your or someone else’s alcohol use, we encourage you to discuss this with your parents, your GP or the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 9442 5000 (or 1800 198 024 for Country areas only). For online support and information, you may like to try Headspace, Reach Out and Somazone.
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Schools, Teachers and Principals
Do you know young people who want to get involved in preventing harm from alcohol? They may be interested in being part of the MCAAY youth committee. Contact us to find out more.
Are you a teacher or principal concerned about the harms of alcohol on young people? If you would like to be part of action to prevent harm from alcohol, please contact us to discuss how we can work together.
Here are just some of the ways schools, teachers and principals can get involved in action to reduce harm from alcohol among young people:
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Parents
Here are just some of the ways parents can get involved in action to reduce harm from alcohol among young people:
- Sign-up to the Alcohol Action Station E-newsletter.
- Write to the people who make the decisions – like your local Member of Parliament.
- Make a complaint about inappropriate alcohol advertising. If you see any alcohol advertising that doesn't sit right with you, contact the Alcohol Advertising Review Board.
- Encourage your local school to develop a school alcohol policy that prevents alcohol being used as prizes for school raffles, fundraisers or alcohol being provided or sold to adults at school fairs and events.
- Encourage your school to get involved in evidence-based school drug education.
- Report venues that sell alcohol to people who are drunk or those under 18 years old to the Department for Racing, Gaming and Liquor (phone (08) 9425 1888, free call 1800 634 541 or email
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).
- Submit objections to liquor licensing applications that may cause harm to young people in your area. Look out for advertising of liquor licence applications in newspapers or on the Department for Racing, Gaming and Liquor website. For more information and support in writing an objection, please contact us.
- Visit the Alcohol Think Again website for more ideas on what you can do to take action to reduce harm from alcohol in your sporting club, workplace, community, or licensed venue.
- If you are concerned about your or someone else’s alcohol use, you can contact your GP, the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024 (Country areas only), or the Parent Drug Information Service on 9442 5050 or 1800 653 203 (Country areas only).
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Community members
Here are just some of the ways community members can get involved in action to reduce harm from alcohol among young people:
- Sign-up to the Alcohol Action Station E-newsletter.
- Write to the people who make the decisions – like your local Member of Parliament. Find your local State and Federal MP’s address and tips for writing letters at the ‘Your Voice’ sections of the Public Health Advocacy Institute website.
- Make a complaint about inappropriate alcohol advertising. If you see any alcohol advertising that doesn't sit right with you, contact the Alcohol Advertising Review Board.
- Report venues that sell alcohol to people who are drunk or those under 18 years old to the Department for Racing, Gaming and Liquor (phone (08) 9425 1888, free call 1800 634 541 or email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
).
- If you see or hear harmful drinking or drunkenness glorified in the media, contact them to remind them that the way they portray alcohol use has a role in normalising and glorifying harmful alcohol use. Note the time/day, presenter/writer and nature of the complaint. For radio or T.V, contact the radio or T.V station. For newspapers, write a letter to the editor. Find out if they have a policy outlining how alcohol and drunkenness will be portrayed and referred to in media coverage. If they don’t have one, encourage them to develop one. (Remember when writing that inappropriate reporting will usually be accidental or speedily written, so try to couch your comments positively rather than attacking the media outlet).
- Contact your local council to find out what they are doing to tackle alcohol related harm in your area. A list of Local Government websites can be found here.
- Visit the Alcohol Think Again website for more ideas on what you can do to take action to reduce harm from alcohol in your sporting club, workplace, community, or licensed venue.
- Join a Local Drug Action Group to get involved in activities to prevent alcohol and other drug related harm in your local community. To find out more, visit www.localdrugaction.com.au, phone (08) 9471 0434 or free call: 1800 LDAG 07, or email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
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Community Organisations
Here are just some of the ways community organisations can get involved in action to reduce harm from alcohol among young people:
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Apply for funding to promote positive alcohol messages, hold alcohol-free events, encourage community discussion and participation etc. You may be eligible for funding from Healthway or the WA Government Department for Communities.
- Invite politicians to meetings and events about alcohol.
- Talk to your local journalists - keep them informed about what you're doing about alcohol and young people.
- Download Advocacy in Action: a toolkit for Public Health Professionals from the Public Health Advocacy Institute website. Here you'll find tools to support you to contact journalists, write letters to the Editor, prepare for a meeting with a politician and confidently do a radio and T.V. interview.
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If you don’t want your kids exposed to alcohol advertising while they are watching televised sport on weekends, contact your State and Federal Members of Parliament and tell them you want them to get rid of it. Find your State and Federal Member of Parliament’s email address and tips for writing letters at the ‘Your Voice’ sections of the Public Health Advocacy Institute website.
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Visit the Alcohol Think Again website for more ideas on what you can do to take action to reduce harm from alcohol in your sporting club, workplace, community, or licensed venue.
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Sporting and other clubs/organisations
Here are just some of the ways sporting and other clubs and organisations can get involved in action to reduce harm from alcohol among young people:
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Apply for funding to promote positive alcohol messages, hold alcohol-free events, encourage community discussion and participation etc. You may be eligible for funding from Healthway or the WA Government Department for Communities.
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If your club holds a liquor license, develop an alcohol management policy which addresses serving alcohol, intoxicated patrons, underage drinking, alternatives to alcohol, safe transport and team celebrations. Sample policies can be viewed here.
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If you don’t want your kids exposed to alcohol advertising while they are watching televised sport on weekends, contact your State and Federal Members of Parliament and tell them you want them to get rid of it. Find your State and Federal Member of Parliament’s email address and tips for writing letters at the ‘Your Voice’ sections of the Public Health Advocacy Institute of WA website.
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Visit the Alcohol Think Again website for more ideas on what you can do to take action to reduce harm from alcohol in your sporting club, workplace, community, or licensed venue.
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Businesses
Here are just some of the ways the business community can get involved in action to reduce harm from alcohol among young people:
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