Parents of young people celebrating ‘schoolies’, ‘leavers’ and end-of-school-year parties should make time to have ‘The Other Talk’ about alcohol and other drugs before the celebrations start.
Julie Rae from the Australian Drug Foundation says parents can play a key role in reducing their teenagers’ risk of alcohol and drug related harm by simply talking to them.
‘We know Schoolies is seen as a high risk time for alcohol-related harm. Research in 2011 showed that more than 85 per cent of young people attending Schoolies expected to drink more than five alcoholic drinks a night,’ she said.
‘This year we’ve created a dedicated online portal so parents can get informed about drugs and alcohol and find tips about how to have honest and open conversations with their children.”
‘In the lead-up to the event it’s a good idea to have The Other Talk – the one about drugs and alcohol – and discuss some of the tips for staying safe and having a good time during Schoolies.’
See more at www.TheOtherTalk.org.au.
The Australian Drug Foundation’s advertisement for its The Other Talk website.
Instead of having a self-destruct experience why doesn’t our culture at large encourage schoolies to do a week of voluntary work. This wouild be a token of gratitude for the twelve years they’ve been supported by their parents and society? And why don’t schoolies get encouraged to donate the money they would have spent on self-indulgence to the cause they’re working in? By involving themselves in volunteer organisations they gain self-esteem and insight into the workings of the greater community.