Down Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), PSNI and Alcohol and You have announced the launch of a joint initiative to reduce alcohol-related problems in the Down area.
It is estimated that alcohol costs Northern Ireland £679.8m per annum. Local communities in Down have identified alcohol and drug use as a significant issue affecting their community and contributing to the rise in suicides locally.
Down Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), PSNI and Community Safety Partnership approached the Health Development Department in the South Eastern Trust to work together on local campaign addressing alcohol problems, it was agreed that the flagship of any campaign should harness existing services and maximise their uptake.
[caption id="attachment_51463" align="alignleft" width="390"]
Alcohol and You has been launched at the Downshire Civic Centre.[/caption]
Ed Sipler, Health Development Specialist for Alcohol and Drugs in the South Eastern Trust said: “Alcohol Misuse affects every community and as our health Minister stated last week, putting a huge toil on our health service. This is an excellent example of how organisations can pool their resources and work together in partnership to address a very challenging issue.”
Cllr William Dick, Chairperson of Down PCSP added: “Our Community Safety Surveys have highlighted that alcohol is a contributing factor towards anti-social behaviour, crime and fear of crime and I welcome this campaign which aims to combat the problem. I believe this is the first time all the agencies have worked together in partnership to design and develop a campaign and I must congratulate those involved for the innovative and cost effective approach taken.”
Over the next six months a prolonged and multi- level campaign will:
* Use three different poster campaigns in the community to challenge common perceptions of excessive drinking and encourage use of support services available;
* Launch a brief advice tool aimed at delivering specific behaviour change techniques at community level to motivate people to reduce their drinking and use services particularly the interactive website of Alcohol and You;
* Replicate the brief Intervention pilot with the PSNI and young people, their parents and people arrested with alcohol related offences; Delivery of three “Talking to your Children about Tough Issues” for parents workshops;
* And introduce Steps to Cope in the area, an intervention for young people affected by parental alcohol misuse.
The campaign will encourage use of the ‘Alcohol and You Programme’ consisting of interlinking low threshold services delivered by South Eastern Trust, Forum for Action on Substance Abuse (FASA), Action on Substances Through Education & Related Training (ASCERT) and Addiction NI including: Self-help (Website and workbook); Conversations with workers to explore alcohol use and the potential for change; Counselling to help reach identified gaols and family support.
Constable Sarah Love, Youth Diversion Officer in the Down area, involved in the campaign also welcomed the scheme and said: “Alcohol is often associated with instances of antisocial behaviour, criminal damage, assault and other crimes, all of which contribute to crime and the fear of crime.
“As police officers, we want to keep people safe and this campaign will encourage everyone to think about the impact associated with the misuse of alcohol, both in terms of health and the very real consequences for those people who become victims of crime, incur serious injuries as a result of having drunk too much, or commit crime fuelled by alcohol.
“We welcome this opportunity to work alongside our partners to tackle an issue which has such an impact on the local community and we will continue to play our part in whatever way we can.”
The Down Alcohol campaign is officially launched today, August 19th, 2014 in the Down Council Headquarters Downshire Civic Centre, Downpatrick with its initial poster campaign, “Don’t let alcohol get you down this summer.”
Check out the interactive website at:
]]>
