Anew health promotion and education campaign is being launched by Substance Misuse Limestone Coast (SMLC) and a local Planet Youth Network group, with local sporting clubs to play a key role.

The region-wide campaign is direct action from the latest Planet Youth schools survey and is designed to open conversations around the supply of alcohol to teenagers.

he survey found a high permissive culture by adults leading to some high adolescent drinking statistics across the region.

The data clearly showed that among young people who drink, the two most common places they drank were at home or in the homes of others.

SMLC project officer Sophie Bourchier said the campaign was about giving everyone the opportunity to learn more about the harms associated with young people drinking alcohol.

“This is about educating parents, caregivers and significant adults about the harms of alcohol on a young person,” she said.

“We are concerned about parents and other adults being the major suppliers of alcohol to young people, in the mistaken belief that monitoring alcohol use is the best way to introduce young people to alcohol, when instead, there is no safe level of alcohol for the adolescent and developing brain.

“Because the brain continues to develop until our mid-twenties, it’s important to delay drinking for as long as possible.

“There is clear evidence young people are more vulnerable to the harms associated with using alcohol and we want our young people to thrive and be as healthy as possible.”

Ms Bourchier said through signage at 26 local sporting grounds, which are a key point of congregation for families, the campaign is designed to start conversations between parents, caregivers, and other significant adults in young people’s lives.

“A strong health promotion and education campaign is an important part of a broad approach to minimise the harms of alcohol use, particularly among young people,” Ms Bourchier said.

“We want our education campaign to reach as many parents and other adults as possible and because sporting clubs are protective hubs in our community, they have put up their hands to promote our education campaign.”

The signage will include a QR code which will lead people to educational resources on the SMLC website.

Network member and Limestone Coast Crime Prevention Section Sergeant Jade Hill said she hoped the campaign would be a driver for change.

“In my role as a parent and as a police officer, I have often seen parents wanting to be their child’s friend, but they also need to be parents and sometimes that means saying ‘no’,” she said.

“I would like to see this campaign bring about positive change and result in better outcomes for young people.

“I come from the business of prevention and if we can educate our next group of adults, we can begin to see real generational change.”

Local leaders supporting the campaign include Western Border League Club president Michael Summers, Member for Barker Tony Pasin and LCLGA Sport and Recreation Development Officer Tony Elletson.

Mr Summers said as a league they were supporting the campaign to help prevent and reduce underage drinking and the supply of alcohol to young people.

“We need to be leaders on and off the field.

“Let’s be the leaders to stop exposure to alcohol to our young stars,” he said.

“Younger players look up to us, so let’s teach them that drinking at a young age should not be encouraged.”

Mr Pasin said SMLC and the Planet Youth Network had been working hard to open a wider community discussion around alcohol consumption amongst youth.

“The permissive culture of youth alcohol consumption perpetuated by adults, including parents, needs to change,” he said.

“For this to happen, adults in our community must be aware of the damage that alcohol does to young people, and this campaign is a great way to get the message out.

“This campaign is a great example of the positive change that SMLC aim to make in our community, and I encourage everyone to get on board and take notice.”

Mr Elletson said the campaign was very timely and important.

“The more we can educate and support local organisations to see that drinking culture has a negative outcome for young people, the sooner we can shift the mindset and start implementing the necessary change to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our youth,” he said.

“This will ultimately lead to our juniors becoming positive leaders and changemakers in our community.”

The campaign was organised by SMLC and Mount Gambier City Council and Grant District Council Planet Youth network group, which formed in 2021.