Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth Program

The Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth (PARTY) Program is a fast paced “tell it like it is” injury prevention program that educates teenagers about the outcomes of making poor choices. 

Over the last school year the PARTY program conducted 51 workshops and spoke to more than 2600 students from 23 different schools on southern Vancouver Island through the Victoria General and Cowichan District Hospitals. Next year will bring the same demand for its important message.  

The greatest incidence of serious injury and death is the 15 to 24 year old age group. Dangerous behaviour such as speeding, drinking and driving, not wearing a seatbelt or other protective equipment, reckless skiing or diving into shallow water can have tragic consequences. Consequences that often could have been prevented. The promotion of injury prevention through reality education is aimed at decreasing the number of teens killed or disabled in our community. Early education about consequences of risk-taking behaviours can change behaviour.

“Our main focus is the impact on the students.  Our goal is to provide them with education about the realities of injury and the consequences to themselves, their families and their community,” said Sandra Wheeler, RN, Injury Prevention Coordinator for the PARTY program. “This past year, we were able to deliver our program, without changes or cost-cutting modifications due to a generous grant from the Victoria Foundation.”

The grant made by the Victoria Foundation helped to fund the program’s keynote speaker portion of the program and enabled PARTY to add Kevin Brooks, an ICBC Roadsense speaker, to its roster. Brooks, who is known to have an incredible impact on the students through his ability to connect with young people, was an incredibly valuable addition.  “After every presentation Kevin made a large number of students were up out of their seats to shake his hand or hug him,” says Wheeler. Comments received from the students following Brooks’ presentation provided strong testimony to his effective message delivery:

• Never drink and drive, it can ruin your life.
• Never get in a car with someone who has been drinking.
• Always wear a seat belt, it can save your life.
• Drunk Driving can kill you.
• Learning about the people who were in these accidents, and how because of their mistakes, it really effects everyone they know, their family and friends.
• Make smarter decisions and it will keep you and the people around you safe.

“Our goal is to keep the program running as scheduled, as our schools remain supportive and report their ongoing satisfaction with the PARTY program,” says Wheeler.

“I know we are on the correct path with our program; and with support from organizations like the Victoria Foundation, we can continue to make an impact on the students and hopefully make a long lasting impression. If this leads to a reduction in trauma injuries for our youth population, then we’re moving in the right direction.”