Alcohol abuse among young people in the Northern Territory will be targeted through a new early intervention program which launches in Katherine tomorrow.
The Northern Territory Early Intervention Pilot Program (NTEIPP) is an initiative under the Australian Government's National Binge Drinking Strategy and aims to reduce underage youth binge drinking and the harm it causes in the Territory.
The program is funded until 2012 and involves the introduction of Youth Outreach Workers based in both pilot sites of Alice Springs and Katherine, supported by a Coordinator and a Resource Development Officer in Darwin.
NTEIPP Coordinator Jeanette Callaghan said the key principle of the program was to facilitate partnerships between health and police services to improve referrals for young people at risk from alcohol-related harm.
"The intent of the program is to create safe communities and build positive relationships with young Territorians; we can achieve this through creating partnerships and continuous training".
The NTEIPP Kit training and other initiatives are designed to increase the awareness of alcohol harms and educating our youth to reduce underage drinking. It focuses on grass-roots problem-solving aimed at reducing the supply, demand and harm done by alcohol in the Territory, and better engagement with young people.
Ms Callaghan said training would be delivered regularly in Katherine, Alice Springs and remote NT communities.
"NTEIPP staff will support regional youth initiatives such as the Katherine Police Junior Rangers and Binjari School Holiday Programs" she said.
The program is strategically aligned with the National Binge Drinking Strategy, the National Youth Policing Model, the NT Police Alcohol Policing Strategy and the Youth Justice Act.
To monitor the effectiveness of this program, an 'Action Research' approach will be adopted with the assistance of the Menzies School of Health Research.
Ms Callaghan said NTEIPP would continue to gather information about binge drinking episodes which would assist in delivering relevant and appropriate support to the communities.
The official launch will commence at the Coffee Club on Katherine Terrace in Katherine at 5:00 pm tomorrow followed by primary and secondary blue light discos at Club 23.
Superintendent Brent Warren will be available for interview at the official launch.
Media Note - Please see attached the launch poster and a picture of Police Junior Rangers jet boating in Katherine, please credit NT Police if using the images.
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Rickie Scoot
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