Changing Alcohol Culture with Local Businesses

Seymour Toyota and AlcoCups have teamed up to increase alcohol awareness and knowledge throughout the local community, in particular teenagers. The aim is to reduce the effects alcohol is having in the local community. The dangerous alcohol culture is highlighted in statistics from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey (2013) which show 37.3% of Australians aged over 14 years of age drink on a weekly basis.

Seymour Toyota have generously provided Seymour College with a donation of $500 of AlcoCups educational resources. Resources include the Standard Drinks Pouring Kit and We've Got Your B.A.C. Pack (Blood Alcohol Concentration). The resources will enable teachers to deliver innovative, interactive and informative alcohol education to students. This will increase students understanding of alcohol and drastically reduce the risks associated with the drug.

Action is need urgently. A report released by FARE, The state of play: alcohol in Victoria (2014), more than 30,000 Victorians were hospitalised due to alcohol every year. Furthermore 14,015 family incidents involved alcohol and 6,768 alcohol assaults, including domestic violence, had been reported in a single year.

Adam Dove from Seymour Toyota explained "Alcohol is an issue in every community. Through education we believe that the impact alcohol has in the Mitchell Shire community can be reduced. Providing educational resources to local schools is a great start to changing alcohol culture in young people".

AlcoCups managing director and founder, Ashley Gurney, outlined that "A lack of understanding regarding alcohol is at the forefront of alcohol related harm. Providing innovative education and resources is an ideal start to influence the role alcohol will have in the community".

AlcoCups educational resources are the first step in the right direction when looking to change alcohol culture. Seymour Toyota and AlcoCups will continue to work collaboratively to reduce alcohol related harms throughout the Mitchell Shire over the coming years.

For further information on alcohol educational resources visit the AlcoCups website www.alcocups.com

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2014). National Drug Strategy Household Survey detailed report 2013. Canberra: AIHW. - See more at: http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/topics/quick-statistics#alcohol

The state of play: Alcohol in Victoria (2014). FARE

Posted on June 2, 2015 .