Speaking out about reducing alcohol-related harm on children and young people

  The interviews and online survey canvassed young people’s views on a broad range of topics. These included knowledge of standard drinks and the national alcohol guidelines, the main influences on their decisions about drinking alcohol, their concerns about harms that arise from alcohol consumption and their views and ideas on strategies to reduce these harms. The small group interviews consisted of three to five young people separated by gender. Generally the groups were split into two age groups – 14 and 15 year-olds and 16 and 17 year-olds, although there were some groups of 14 to 17 year-olds. Groups comprised young people with a range of alcohol consumption patterns and varied socio-economic backgrounds. Interviews were also undertaken with Aboriginal young people, young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and young people who were considered at increased likelihood of engaging in highrisk1 alcohol consumption. Some issues specific to different groups have been noted and are identified in the following text. However, due to the low numbers of young people involved caution should be used in extrapolating the comments to the broader population of young people. Image: eskimo_jo / flick