Calls for support for alcohol education for young women

Media Release

YWCA of Greater Wellington

Thursday 21 February 2011

YWCA calls for support for alcohol education for young women

The call to action from Chief Coroner, Gordon Matenga, for alcohol education in schools is already underway in Wellington with a new programme for young women being piloted in Wellington schools this year by the YWCA of Greater Wellington.

YWCA Greater Wellington President Vanisa Dhiru says, “This programme responds to research conducted with young women in 2010. It will combine the issue of alcohol abuse with other issues that young women told us they need help with, such self-esteem and self-protection”.

“Aiming to prepare young women to make positive life choices, the sessions for Year 11 students will cover: understanding why they drink, how peer groups can influence their behaviour, and the emotional and physical consequences of alcohol abuse; being able to resist influence from peer groups, defuse a potentially violent situation and defend themselves when under physical attack in a social situation; and identifying social alternatives to alcohol based behaviour and strategies to reduce self-harm”.

YWCA Greater Wellington Programmes Committee Chair Sue Hanrahan explains, “Our programme does not preach abstinence - rather, how to have a good time socially without misusing alcohol and how to protect yourself when things go wrong. We can preach to young women as much as we want, but they have to see the sense in the solution, for a positive change to occur”.

“It takes a village to raise a child. Our programme also includes talking to parents about their responsibility to supervise young people, model moderate drinking habits and monitor the supply of alcohol” says Hanrahan.

Dhiru explains why the YWCA of Greater Wellington is taking a holistic approach to the issue of alcohol, “We must allow young women to make up their own minds on their social decisions – but we have to help them to do this. We can support them to become influencers in their own peer groups around safe drinking – and we must continue to support them through advocating for their rights and appropriate policy changes, as addressed in the Law Commission 5+ solution”.

The YWCA of Greater Wellington supports the Law Commission 5+ solution with Alcohol Action NZ and last year made an oral submission against the Wellington City local by-law to Wellington City Councillors.

The pilot YWCA programme is being developed by the Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) and ProtectSelf Defence. The 2011 programme is funded by the Wellington City Council, ACC, Nikau Foundation, TG Macarthy Trust and the Wellington Methodist Charitable and Educational Endowments Trust. ALAC have provided advice for the programme. Wellington Police have provided written support.

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YWCA Alcohol programme

The YWCA of Greater Wellington has received funding to address the issue of alcohol abuse by young women. The programme does not advocate for abstinence. Instead, it will enable young women to avoid or limit self harm from alcohol consumption and reduce or avoid physical harm by others in a social situation.

• Young women will understand why they drink, how peer groups can influence their behaviour, and the emotional and physical consequences of alcohol abuse.

• Young women will be able to resist influence from peer groups, defuse a potentially violent situation and defend themselves when under physical attack in a social situation.

• Young women will identify social alternatives to alcohol based behaviour and strategies to reduce self-harm.

Benefits to be achieved are:

• a reduction in personal injury and alcohol-fuelled violence

• reduced damage to property

• safer public areas

• social alternatives to alcohol based activities for young women.

The programme is offered in partnership with Alcohol and Drug Studies, Wellington Institute of Technology (Weltec) [Alcohol and Drug Studies, Wellington Institute of Technology (Weltec) http://www.weltec.ac.nz/SUBJECTAREAS/CounsellingAlcoholandDrugStudies.aspx ] and Protect:Self-defence [Protect:self-defence http://www.protectselfdefence.co.nz/ ].

The YWCA of Greater Wellington will offer support to the young women involved in this programme by working with parents and alcohol retailers to reinforce their individual and community responsibility to limit the access and availability of alcohol and to keep our young women safe.

The pilot programme begins in Wellington in May 2011. Following evaluation and review of the programme, the YWCA of Greater Wellington will continue to offer programmes to Wellington schools, and will approach other cities accredited to the International Safe Community [International Safe Community http://www.safecommunities.org.nz/sc/we ] (Porirua, Lower Hutt, Masterton) to offer the programme in their regions.

The YWCA of Greater Wellington has received funding for this programme from the Wellington City Council, ACC, Nikau Foundation, TG Macarthy Trust and the Wellington Methodist Charitable and Educational Endowments Trust. The YWCA is also collaborating with ALAC, the Wellington Police, Alcohol Action NZ and the Hospitality Standards Institute. We support the 5+ solution [ADANZ 5+ Solution: 1. Increase the price of alcohol; 2. Increase the purchase age of alcohol; 3. Decrease accessibility of alcohol; 4. Decrease marketing and advertising of alcohol ; 5. Increase drink-driving measures; PLUS: Increase treatment opportunities for heavy drinkers http://www.adanz.org.nz/adanz/subnav/submissions/alcohol%20action%20new%20zealand ] of Alcohol Action NZ and will continue to lobby law makers in support of these recommendations.

More about the YWCA:

The YWCA of Greater Wellington was founded in 1906, and today works to develop women’s leadership potential, and support them in making positive life choices. In Wellington, they run free courses including Encore, an after breast cancer recovery programme; and administer a small grants fund for Māori women’s projects , the Māori Women’s Transfer Fund. The board include women under 30 years, making 50% of the board.

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