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2006 AWARD WINNERS
Hook Primary School Pembrokeshire, Wales
Winner of the ‘Young People ' s Involvement Category', received £10,000 prize and £10,000 worth of mentoring/practical consultancy support. Pupils in a Pembrokeshire school realised they had to act when their sports day was nearly cancelled due to broken bottles on the playing fields.
They set up a project to raise awareness that broken glass can harm
wildlife, make the community look untidy and be unsafe for them to play
in. With support from teachers, they developed these activities into a
project covering all areas of how alcohol can impact on people ' s
lives. This grew from a project about litter in the village, to a
project where Year 6 did some local research and identified other areas
in the community where alcohol had become problematic: thus it grew
naturally in its scope to include issues around alcohol misuse and how
that can impact on everyone. “Having taken part in the Mentor U.K.
Alcohol Misuse Prevention initiative last year, which resulted in our
school being awarded £10,000 first prize, we have developed a
tremendous amount across the curriculum at school. First and foremost
it raised the self-esteem of the pupils originally involved in the
school project as they progressed into adolescence. Many other positive
factors have emerged. May I take this opportunity of thanking everyone
at Mentor U.K. for their support and good work in promoting this very
important initiative to educate young people.” John Roach, Head
Teacher, Hook CP School, Hook, Pembrokeshire
The Greater Easterhouse Alcohol Awareness Project (GEAAP) Glasgow, Scotland
Winner of the ‘Schools Category ' , received £10,000 prize and £10,000 worth of mentoring/practical consultancy support.
GEAAP deals with peer pressure through classroom-based work with
primary school children. It uses primary school activities to reinforce
the idea of responsible drinking from an early age. The children are
taught assertiveness techniques and ways of saying no and getting
themselves out of pressurised situations. Some of the distancing
techniques for avoiding this include the children taking on a ‘third
person' persona, or the adult facilitator taking on the role of
‘drinker' o f the group. In one role play session the children are
given the option of being any age between 11–21 they then make their
pretend cocktails and discuss what they are drinking, for example vodka
and coke, soft drink, etc. They discuss where they are drinking, who
they are drinking with, and how many glasses they have drunk over the
evening. The children then discuss with their peers whether this is
responsible drinking or not, and what actually constitutes responsible
drinking. Through these sessions the children realize that there are no
safe limits of alcohol use for under 18s and that being over 18 doesn't
mean that you can drink as much as you like without risks. “One of the
most pleasing aspects about winning the Mentor UK award, in the schools
category, was that we were selected as overall winner not only by a
board of professionals but also by panels of young people from around
the country. The award has led to requests for us to expand the number
of schools that receive the program and we now offer alcohol awareness
programs to the whole of the East of Glasgow. Other areas of Glasgow
are also showing an interest. Since winning the award people are taking
notice. Minds are being changed.” Stewart McKay, Project Manager,
Greater Easterhouse Alcohol Awareness Project (GEAAP), Easterhouse,
Glasgow
Time for Me West Midlands
Winner of the ‘Communities Category ' received £10,000 prize and
£10,000 worth of mentoring/practical consultancy support. This project
provides support for children/young people who are affected by a family
member's substance misuse. It provides a safe environment where young
people can discuss concerns and worries and can receive guidance on
keeping themselves safe, care for their personal hygiene, nutrition and
well-being, peer pressure and education. Staff and outside
speakers/volunteers offer an opportunity for project members to enjoy
being young and to learn new skills that will equip them for life i.e.
cooking, needlework, physical exercise, first aid and safety in the
home.
Young people can discuss their concerns about coming home and
finding a parent collapsed through excessive drinking – even an eight
year old can put someone in the recovery position. Looking at this
through games and activities and through shared experiences, they can
become more informed and better equipped to cope with situations at
home relating to the harm of alcohol. Sessions offered include coping
mechanisms, personal safety, dealing with feelings, family life and
anger management. “Winning the award has bought us a great deal of
recognition and has raised awareness around the issues faced by the
children and young people who have alcohol using parents/carers. There
is a sense of pride within the ‘Time For Me' group that the members
feel when anyone talks about the award; it is certainly an award that
hits the nail on the head and that recognises all the hard work
undertaken by everyone involved. Thank you so much for allowing us to
share the work we do with others working in the same field.” Ava
Williams, ‘Time for Me', Halesowen, West Midlands
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