TY - JOUR
T1 - School leaver (graduate) celebrations in Margaret River, Western Australia
T2 - a community approach to management
AU - Midford, Richard
AU - Midford, Sarah
AU - Farringdon, Fiona
PY - 2007/1/1
Y1 - 2007/1/1
N2 - In recent years, an increasing number of young Western Australians have chosen the tourist town of Margaret River, about 300 kilometers south of the Perth, as the place to celebrate completing school. Typically, the celebrations involve intense socializing and considerable binge drinking. In 2001, the community developed a comprehensive management strategy to minimize the impact of the celebrations, while still facilitating an enjoyable experience for the leavers (recent graduates). This incorporated community members providing supervised activities for the leavers. Evaluation of the intervention employed a mixed methodology, comprising surveys of school leavers, interviews with community stakeholders, and participant observation. The findings indicated that the leavers generally got what they wanted from the experience and the community felt it had maintained control. Providing activities built a relationship between the leavers and the community and seemed important in minimizing problems for both groups. An added bonus was the community developed greater confidence and capacity.
AB - In recent years, an increasing number of young Western Australians have chosen the tourist town of Margaret River, about 300 kilometers south of the Perth, as the place to celebrate completing school. Typically, the celebrations involve intense socializing and considerable binge drinking. In 2001, the community developed a comprehensive management strategy to minimize the impact of the celebrations, while still facilitating an enjoyable experience for the leavers (recent graduates). This incorporated community members providing supervised activities for the leavers. Evaluation of the intervention employed a mixed methodology, comprising surveys of school leavers, interviews with community stakeholders, and participant observation. The findings indicated that the leavers generally got what they wanted from the experience and the community felt it had maintained control. Providing activities built a relationship between the leavers and the community and seemed important in minimizing problems for both groups. An added bonus was the community developed greater confidence and capacity.
KW - young people
KW - alcohol
KW - community
KW - prevention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=37149040699&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10826080701530514
DO - 10.1080/10826080701530514
M3 - Article
VL - 42
SP - 1915
EP - 1932
JO - Substance Use and Misuse
JF - Substance Use and Misuse
SN - 1082-6084
IS - 12
ER -