Issue 45: May 2005 - Youth Work Ireland

‘The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Sides ofAlcohol' Video/DVD Projectby Navan Young People's Development ProjectBACKGROUNDNYPD is a one of An Garda Siochana SpecialProjects based in Navan in Co. Meath. It is in operationsince November 1999. NYPD stands forNavan Young People's Development Project. Theproject works with young people aged between tenand eighteen years in the Navan area. As with allGarda Projects young people are referred onto theproject by the local statutory and voluntary agencies.In 2003 and 2004 the media was once again highlightingteenage alcohol consumption in Ireland. Onthe 4th of September 2003 the Daily Mirror had anarticle entitled 'Hungover Ireland'. A large sectionof the article focused on the fact that Irish fifteenand sixteen year olds are Europe's biggest bingedrinkers. The Irish Independent ran an article on the10th of September 2003 on the Junior Cert results.Part of the article was a true/false quiz on 'youngstersand alcohol'In conjunction with the media blitz tragic eventsinvolving young people and alcohol had brought theissue into the homes of ordinary families. Publiclyand privately the topic was up for discussion.NYPD applied to the Irish Youth Foundation for agrant to make a video and accompanying leaflet on'Young People and Alcohol'.PROJECT DEVELOPMENTParticipants wanted an opportunity to research thetopic for themselves, to voice their own opinionsand to respond to what they felt was an unfair criticismon behalf of the media of their genre. Thevideo was worked on over a ten- month period. Itwas to be akin to a prime time documentary. Factswere to be dispersed with stories, music and interviews.Along with Shay Casserly (local film maker)participants filmed young people drinking and fighting.The group also carried out a questionnaire in a localpost primary school. The results from the sampledsurveyed:28% of 13yr olds are drinking alcoholregularly48% of 14yr olds are drinking alcoholregularly70% of 15yr olds are drinking alcoholregularly93% of 16 yr olds are drinking alcoholregularlyThe survey showed that young people can afford todrink because of part time jobs, and pocket moneyfrom parents. Accessing alcohol is not a problem.Young people reported that they know the offlicences that will sell alcohol to them and there isalways an older person willing to buy it for them.Participants researched statistics on teenage drinking.They wrote to and subsequently interviewedpoliticians, nurses in Accident and Emergency,Counsellors from the Rutland treatment Centre inDublin, Publicans, Gardaí, mothers, young people,teenagers and adults with alcohol addiction, HealthPromotion Officers, taxi drivers etc.Irish Youth Work Scene 15 Issue 45, May, 2005