Open Forum - Is It Worth It?

A successful student-led open forum, focussing on the “Is It Worth It?” campaign which addresses youth12-24 years of age. access to alcohol, was held in Whangarei earlier this year. 

Back row: (from left to right) Davina Cooper, Thomas Humphreys, Andrea Cameron, Tariki Manawaiti, Kaylib Heke, Kane Rudolph Middle row: Robert Diamond, Summer Hamilton, Sheridan Ashby, Bernie Hetaraka, Shirleyanne Brown, Mika Nathan, Rachel Woodworth Front row: Harrison Tanenui-waara.

Students from Tikipunga and Whangarei Boys High Schools were involved in the planning, content and timetable of the open forum day.  Students and staff from seven of the nine high schools in the Whangarei area attended the open forum day. The day of presentations and discussion was MC-ed by two extremely confident and entertaining students.  Students from the participating high schools facilitated presentations and workshops looking at five themes from a youth perspective. Presentations and discussions covered:

• How are we drinking?

• Influences

• Consequences of drinking

• Impact on friends and whanau

• Benefits of not drinking alcohol - a balanced perspective

 Activities during day encouraged thinking, questioning, participation, brain storming, role play, writing poetry, acting and above all, honesty, from students and teachers alike. The students shared their experiences of activities they had done in their schools, including awareness days and results of a survey asking where young people got their alcohol.  The survey showed that a majority of young people get their alcohol from their parents.

“There is not enough education (not just for young people, but for parents as well) about how much alcohol is in some drinks,” said one of the students.  “My friend’s mum gave him a box of 12 RTDs for the night.  That is a lot of alcohol!”

“This forum, as part of the Is It Worth It? project, has helped to increase the skills, knowledge and choices of young people by providing information, advice for the growth of youth leaders,” said Shirleyanne Brown from ALAC.  “Young people get to use their ideas and creativity to spread the message around their choices regarding alcohol and its consumption.” Ms Brown said young people are well aware that success will limit their access to alcohol, and they are okay with that. 

“Young people in our community have been rocked and affected by effects of alcohol, including seeing their friends dying as a result of alcohol-related harm.  They want to do something about it.”

“We are seeing a real commitment to addressing alcohol issues in our schools,” said Bernie Hetaraka, from Manaia PHO.  “Students and teachers have taken away a number of ideas from this forum to help them plan a variety of initiatives to implement in their own schools.” “Senior students are going back to their schools and planning activities like orientation days, report nights, and displays for next year.  In some schools we are seeing the awareness for alcohol issues being integrated into the curriculum.” 

This day was made possible by the Steering Group, consisting of students and teachers from Tikipunga High and Whangarei Boys High school, with the support from Bernie Hetaraka (Manaia PHO), Rachel Woodworth (ACC) and Shirleyanne Brown (ALAC), and funding provided through the Community Alcohol Action Fund (CAAFCommunity Action on Alcohol Fund) from ALAC.

The “Is It Worth It?” Project  Whangarei high schools, working alongside Bernie Hetaraka (Youth Health Co-ordinator - Manaia PHO Ltd), identified alcohol as one of the issues young people are facing both within the family and friends social settings.  As a result, Is It Worth It? began.  It has been running in Whangarei High Schools for the past two years.  

The main objective is for Whangarei young people to have heightened awareness and responsibility regarding the supply of alcohol to minors, the choices they have, the decisions they make and to ultimately keep young people safe from the adverse effects of alcohol.  It also reinforces the responsibility of parents and caregivers regarding the supply of alcohol to minors.

The first two schools to roll out the project were Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Te Rawhiti Roa and Tikipunga High School.  These schools undertook a survey that asked the question “Who supplies your alcohol?” in an effort to highlight a local picture concerning youth access to alcohol. Since then the remaining seven high schools, through their health teams, have been offered the opportunity to also conduct this survey.  

The findings from the above survey have reflected those of The University of Auckland, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences document “Te Ara Whakapiki Youth 07 – The Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students In New Zealand”.  It states that the most common sources of alcohol for students were their parents (54%) and friends (53%).