Home > About us > Public health advice / Population Health > Alcohol and liquor licensing > Alcohol management projects
| About us | |
|
|
Alcohol management projectsback to previous pageAlcohol related harm continues to be an issue in both the King Country and South Waikato communities. Within many sports clubs and teams, in particular our rugby clubs, socialising is an important aspect to creating a team environment. Having a couple of drinks post match is very much a part of the team building that is linked with sports. Rugby and sports clubs are often the hub of the community instead of the local pub. These clubs also often encompass other sporting codes such as netball, soccer, cricket and squash. Most of these clubs have a history and a culture of excessive alcohol consumption, and thus if associated alcohol related harm is to be addressed, any sustainable changes made need to be developed and led by the clubs themselves. Health promoters and health protection staff are currently involved in two large preventative projects where we are seeing some quite significant positive culture change. Club CHAMPS (King Country)The Club Champs project is a proactive approach aimed at reducing alcohol related harm within the grass roots King Country sports clubs of Otorohanga, Te Kuiti and Taumarunui, and is a joint initiative between Police and Population Health, with some external funding provided by ALAC. Built around the slogan ‘let your mates know when they’ve reached full time’, clubs involved predominantly follow the rugby code. The Club Champs focus is on shifting the responsibility from policing problem drinking to helping clubs develop alcohol management plans. An alcohol management plan workshop held during April 2011 covered issues such as the Sale of Liquor Act, host responsibility and implementation, and dealing with intoxicated people. There was a general discussion on ideas about managing alcohol use at home and away games, and ways to create safe drinking practices within the club environment. Club representatives attended the workshop from all clubs, along with local stakeholders, Waikato DHB and regional council representatives, police and licensing agents. The day ended with clubs developing personalised alcohol management plans to take back to their committees for implementation From here, personalised social marketing resources have been developed and presented to each of the clubs to increase the awareness of Club Champs and the key strap line ‘let your mates know when they have reached full time’. The clubs involved are behind the project 100% and without the project, they feel they would not have gained the momentum of these behavioural changes within their clubs. An evaluation of the project is currently underway and expected to be complete by the end of 2011. The project now moves into a maintenance phase whereby staff will continue to be involved by maintaining current relationships to see where they can provide further support. Southern United Rugby Football Club (SURF)Tokoroa health promoter Jeremy Tafau has been working alongside the SURF committee and club captain to identify issues related to alcohol within the club and to agree an action plan to address these issues. A survey of players from four rugby teams, plus coaches, managers and committee members, to gather data and information regarding current drinking practices together with tobacco, hydration and drink driving behaviours. The committee got survey results and identified some key themes including host responsibility, minimising risk taking behaviour, and the introduction of an alcohol management plan. Some of the current initiatives underway to support these key themes include;
|