Download To gain a deeper understanding about the alcohol and

To gain a deeper understanding about the alcohol and other drug
experiences of vulnerable young people in West Auckland
Project Background
Collaborative project
Ethics approval
At-risk young people
We know the numbers
We haven’t heard their experiences
We need to talk with young people
Objectives
Survey
Conversations
Applying Te Whare Tapa Whā
We heard how elements of a young person’s environment and wellbeing impacted their
use of alcohol or other drugs; how this use affected young peoples’ Mauri Ora and how
protective factors buffered this impact.
Our Findings
Eve’s Story
The Common Pattern
In your roles as youth health professionals
where could you intervene?
Exclusion from School
Young people revealed that exclusion
from school was one of the biggest
factors that increased their alcohol
and drug use, especially when they
remained outside the school system
for longer than necessary.
Early exposure to alcohol or other drugs
Using substances was seen as normal, having seen their parents or siblings use, and
led to the young people not seeing alcohol or other drug use as problematic.
Cycle of Use
Safe Zones
Safe zone
Spiralling Down
The Reflection
Do I belong here?
Is this who I really am?
Am I becoming who I want to be?
This isn’t me
moments
A dramatic event
Pregnancy /
parenthood
Thoughts of change often shifted quickly
Knowing when a young person is reflecting and
thinking about change is a key moment for
intervention.
The Strategies
The Insights
The following are the insights we
gained from our conversations
with young people with the
statistics gathered in the
quantitative survey
Brain Development
Having a narrow vision is common during
adolescent years.
How can we help young people see
other options?
Belonging
Young people made new friends
based on how they viewed
themselves (their identity) at
that particular time, and then
adopted behaviours they
perceived were normal for the
group
First Drink
Parents siblings or extended family most
frequently supplied alcohol or drugs for
the young people’s first experience.
Drunkenness
Young people often drank more than
planned due to due to a lack of
awareness of the stage they were at once
intoxicated.
How can we help young people
understand these stages and plan to
stop earlier?
Knowing Someone Cares
It wasn’t enough just to have people who
cared, the young people needed to KNOW
someone cared about them. Many did not
think anyone cared about them.
This lead to them caring less about
themselves and what they did and caused
increase alcohol and other drug use.
How can we show young people we
care and believe in them?
Key Statistics
Binge Drinking
What could you do to
intervene?
[email protected]
[email protected]
“I now have hope
for the future’