In Aug 2005 the Young Woman's outreach project approached NECA Young people's project requesting Drug and Alcohol education sessions for a group of school age mothers who attend the project for education whilst their children are looked after in the crèche.
As part of a four week program the group were given pieces of homework and research topics. The group were asked to look at what information was available to warn young woman about drink spiking and general sensible drinking messages. The goups were amazed at how little information was available in easy to read format and felt they would like to create information to raise awareness of this issue with young woman in Gateshead .
The group designed and distributed a drink spiking campaign which ran over the Christmas period in December 2005.
Alongside the Young Woman's campaign NECA organised a publicity campaign in partnership with Northumbria Police and Tyne and Wear Metro system and the Evening chronicle targeting city centre drinkers over the Christmas period. NECA staff team gave out “spikey's” on the metro trains to raise awareness and keep woman safe whilst out celebrating on the quayside.
A residential weekend was held in February 2006 attended by the young woman, their babies and staff from NECA and the Young Woman's Outreach project. The main aim was to research current sensible drinking messages and create and awareness leaflet and campaign. At the end of the residential the young woman had created their campaign logo and with the help of a designer, created a leaflet aimed at young woman aged between 14 – 18yrs. And so was born the “Am a bovvered” Campaign.
On the 8 th NOV the young Women, launched the “Am a bovvered” – sensible drinking information leaflet, by facilitating an alcohol education themed event, which was attended by 188 young women at Gateshead Civic Centre.
The launch event has been organised by the young women themselves, supported by Gateshead S.M.A.R.T. and Gateshead Young Woman's Outreach Project.
The event also created an opportunity for young woman in Gateshead to participate in various interactive workshops with an overarching alcohol theme. E.g. sexual health, teenage pregnancy, community safety, Youth Council.
During the event young woman were asked to give their views on sensible drinking and what the initiative means to them. Their views were incorporated in an interactive piece of “talking art” which will be available to community groups across the borough.
Each young woman attending the event was presented with the new leaflet and an “Am a bovvered” enamel panel pin to celebrate the launch event by the Mayor of Gateshead.
The panel pins will then only be given to young women in the future who complete the “Am a bovvered” 5-week alcohol education course facilitated by Gateshead S.M.A.R.T.
The event was a fantastic success and as a result the young woman were nominated and won a “Philip Lawrence” award for outstanding contribution to the community, the young woman supported by the S.M.A.R.T team received their award at a ceremony hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald in London on the 4 th December. As part of the award the young women also received a cheque for a £1000 which will be used to fund an “Am a bovvered” peer education sessions, supported by S.M.A.R.T.
As the government launches it's National Alcohol strategy in late November the “Am a bovvered campaign has been included as best practice to demonstrate to other DAT areas how involve local people in getting safer drinking messages to young people.
The “Am a bovvered” Campaign has also been acknowledged in the recent “Involving Children and Young People” document published through the Drug Education forum.
WHAT NEXT?
The SMART team are to facilitate a 2 day training course in January to train the young woman as peer educators. The group will then offer the “Am a Bovvered” young women and alcohol course to community groups and schools throughout Gateshead .
