BINGE drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence remain key concerns for Australian culture.
The most recent statistics show that 37 per cent of Australians are affected by alcohol-related violence.
The Queensland Government has targeted binge drinking with plans to develop new education material on alcohol and drugs aimed at students in Years 7-12.
“Game On: Know Alcohol”, or “GO:KA”, is an evidence-based program designed to educate high school students about alcohol, using social marketing techniques.
On the back of its inception social marketing researchers from Griffith University and Queensland University of Technology designed the program with funding support from the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC).
GO:KA features six lessons designed to show students the effects of alcohol, convey knowledge of standard drinks and provide students with strategies to say no to drinking or to moderate their consumption.
The lessons include a range of online games and practical activities which help students to experience the effects of alcohol firsthand through a range of simulations.
To date, Social Marketing@Griffith researchers have delivered the GO:KA program at seven Queensland Catholic schools reaching more than 1000 Year 10 students.
A Griffith University spokesperson said early results showed GO:KA increased knowledge relating to alcohol and moderated attitudes towards binge drinking.
“This is a promising step toward changing young people’s drinking behaviour and the ‘culture of intoxication’,” they said.
“We believe that collaboration and community involvement are key to long-term program success.
“We have used feedback from the initial pilot project stages to improve and update the program.
“Currently we are running a comprehensive evaluation which is funded by the Australian Research Council and QCEC involving more than 30 QCEC schools.”
To learn more about the GO:KA program or to discuss your school’s involvement contact project leader Professor Sharyn Rundle-Thiele (s.rundle-thiele@griffith.edu.au) or visit the webpage http://gameon.rcs.griffith.edu.au for more details.
