News Release:

Mentor UK Launches CHAMP Awards, 13^th January 2010

With 3 x £20,000 Prizes to Prevent Young People Misusing Alcohol

Nominations are now open for the Mentor UK CHAMP Awards (Promoting Children’s Health through Alcohol Misuse Prevention), 2010.  Founded in 2006, this prestigious biennial awards scheme offers up to £60,000 worth of prize money and support to schemes from across Great Britain which help prevent  young people of 14 or under from misusing alcohol. 

Launching the 2010 CHAMP Awards, Mentor UK Chief Executive, Paul Tuohy says:

“With twenty million units per week drunk by 11-17 year olds and with 500,000 young people drunk in the last month, we at Mentor UK believe promoting healthy attitudes and behaviours with young people as early as possible is vital and can prevent many lives being wrecked.”

Mentor’s experience shows that there are alcohol misuse prevention projects out there doing excellent work with youngsters but that they often feel isolated and struggle to survive financially.  The CHAMP Awards helps the best of these initiatives– not only by offering cash prizes but by providing resources, advice and a place to share ideas on the new CHAMP website.

Youth Alive in Dumfries was one of the winners of a CHAMP Award in 2008 and their work comes as an urgent response to the problems of children and young people misusing alcohol and binge drinking within the community.

“Dumfries has a problem with young people abusing alcohol.  We work to change attitudes by educating young people about the dangers of alcohol and to offer a positive alternative to young people in the area.

Winning the Award has kept the agency going.  It has enabled us to carry on delivering services and we are delivering to so many more young people.”

Other winners of the CHAMP Award said:

“It has been fantastic…It was just the most amazing experience.  Because of the success and national recognition we have got extra funding …..People are now listening, it has opened new doors and means we can work with even more children and young people”

The Mentor UK CHAMP Awards are supported by drinks producer, Diageo Great Britain, as part of their commitment to educating young people on the dangers of alcohol misuse – both now and in the future.

Mark Baird, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Diageo Great Britain adds:

“We are delighted to be associated with the CHAMP Awards again this year.  We see it as a great way to highlight and recognise some of the fantastic work that goes on around the UK in tackling the issues surrounding teenage alcohol misuse and also believe that the new CHAMP website is a superb addition to the whole awards process and a valuable platform to share good practice”

Anyone can nominate a scheme for the Mentor UK CHAMP Awards: the public, professionals or young people.

The deadline for applications is April 21^st 2010.

Winners will be announced in November at a ceremony in London, from a shortlist, chosen by a panel of experts in May.

Uniquely for an awards scheme, the final selection of winners will be made by panels of young people under 14.

Ends

·         Further information on the CHAMP Awards, including an application form, guidance notes, winners’ tips, winners’ video clips and resources for parents, children and teachers can be found at

www.champawards.org.uk

·         CHAMP Awards in 2010 will be made in three categories:

for work in Schools

for work in Communities

for projects led by Young People

·         2008 Awards were made to the following:

Schools category

Adolescents Anonymous, Kirklees

This project, designed and scripted by young people, explores the effects of alcohol misuse on three young people at different stages of their lives.  The DVD, along with a comprehensive information pack with lesson plans, is shown to 11-14 year olds across Kirklees to promote sensible drinking.

Communities category

P.A.R.T.Y, Youth Alive, Dumfries

This is a twelve week programme where young people are educated in a fun, participative style about the dangers of alcohol misuse and offered positive alternatives to drinking.  With binge drinking among young people in Dumfries a serious issue, one of the most rewarding groups was a group of young men from a local school, some with a history of alcohol misuse who completed the course and received the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award as a result.  This group of young people, although gifted in many ways were not achieving at school in traditional ways but really engaged well with this project.

Young People’s Involvement category

LookOut Alcohol, Lancashire

This website (www.lookoutalcohol.co.uk) has been designed by young people for young people. From the idea of a website with a games concept to the design of the characters to the topics covered, primary school children were involved in all aspects of production. It is an interactive site that incorporates age appropriate alcohol education, downloadable lesson plans for teachers, homework based activities and information section for parents and carers.

·         Representatives from Mentor UK and Diageo GB and from the 2006 and 2008 winning projects (including young people) are available for interview on request.

·         Facts and figures on drug and alcohol use and young people, photographs of the 2008 winning entries and information on the 2008 winning entries are also available on request or at www.champawards.org.uk

·         Mentor UK is a registered UK charity (no:1112339) and company limited by guarantee (no:5609241) that works in conjunction with its partners in the International Mentor family. Our mission is identical: to focus on the prevention of drug misuse in our efforts to promote the health and wellbeing of children and young people and to reduce damage to their lives.  Mentor aims to support the effective use of human, financial and intellectual resources to achieve its goals.  www.mentorfoundation.org/uk

·         Diageo Great Britain is the sales and marketing division of Diageo in Great

Britain. Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business, owning such brands as SMIRNOFF®, GUINNESS®, GORDON‟S ®, BELL‟S ® and

BAILEYS®. Diageo believes it has an important role to play in reminding

consumers about making intelligent decisions when drinking alcohol. Diageo Great Britain is a member of The Portman Group, promoting responsible drinking. Visit www.drinkaware.co.uk for information and guidance on responsible drinking