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Appendix 1
Vale of Glamorgan Young Persons Substance Misuse Consultation
Report
Undertaken by Vibe Experience Limited and Vale Youth Service June
2011
Commissioned by the Safer Vale Partnership
Executive Summary
The Vibe Experience voluntary sector organisation was commissioned by the
Safer Vale Partnership in February 2011 to carry out a Substance Misuse
Consultation Service with young people aged 11-18 years residing in every
electoral ward in the Vale of Glamorgan. The consultation service was
implemented in collaboration with the Vale of Glamorgan Youth Service and
took place on the streets during evenings, weekends and school holidays
from 14th February to 4th March 2011.
The consultation employed 2 approaches;
A ‘streetbased’ approach incorporating detached youth workers and the
VPOD mobile youth provision where 651 young people were interviewed
utilising structured interviews.
Consultation with youth support workers, their views were obtained through
completing paper-based questionnaires, this process was supported by a
structured interview approach either in person or by telephone. The survey
was carried out with 50 staff members across the following Vale services;
Statutory Youth Services, Voluntary Youth Services, Voluntary Housing and
Homelessness, Community Safety and Schools.
Young People and Alcohol
The young people interviewed claimed to have a good awareness of the risks
of alcohol, this information largely being accessed in school and through
family and peer groups. Local out of school services were the least
represented access point for alcohol information by the young people
interviewed. Nearly all young people interviewed had tried alcohol with a
quarter of those moving towards a pattern of consuming alcohol once a week
or more. The risk age for establishing a pattern of drinking alcohol begins at
12 years. Units of alcohol consumed tapers off at 13 years then rises
consistently to peak at 17 years of age, where young people are then drinking
on average 22 units of alcohol per individual equivalent to half a bottle of
vodka and 2.5 cans of normal strength lager in a single session.
Young people residing in the areas of Gibbonsdown and St. Athan on average
consume the most units of alcohol per individual in a single session, equating
to 12 cans of normal strength lager. Young people residing in the areas of St.
Brides Major, Llandow and Peterston-Super-Ely consume the least or no
alcohol. There are strong indications that young people drink to get drunk with
the leading reason being the social scene and music culture. However, there
are ‘hidden harm’ factors present as there were 182 young people that
indicated family influences and stress were the main reasons why they
consumed alcohol.
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44% of young people interviewed indicated that in their opinion it was easy or
very easy to obtain alcohol. Over half of the young people who drank regularly
stated that received alcohol from friends and family with 32% indicating that
they obtained alcohol through proxy sales and direct purchases. The
environments in which young people consume alcohol are mainly in domestic
settings at home or friends houses with 22% choosing to regularly drink in
public spaces. The results indicate that drinking alcohol increases young
people’s exposure to becoming a victim of crime, witnessing or participating in
activities such as street-fighting, sexual violence, sexual activity, vandalism,
fire-setting, graffiti, drug taking, theft of money; mobile phones and clothing.
Young People and Drug Use
The young people interviewed claimed to have a good awareness of the risks
of drugs, this information, as found with alcohol use, is largely being accessed
in school and through family and peer groups. Local out of school services
were the least represented access point for drug information by the young
people interviewed. Nearly half of all young people interviewed had tried
drugs with many knowing someone who had tried using. In terms of drug
experimentation, Cannabis is the most tried (237 young people), half of those
who said that they used Cannabis frequently used the drug weekly or daily.
This is followed by Cocaine (56 yp’s), Amphetamines (46 yp’s), Painkillers (42
yp’s), Legal Highs (38 yp’s) and Ecstasy MDMA (34 yp’s). The risk ages
where young people begin drug experimentation is 12 and 13 years. Young
people residing in Llantwit and Gibbonsdown electoral wards present as being
at greater risk of exposure to drug use than other areas. Young residents of
St. Brides Major, Peterston-Super-Ely, Llandow and Wenvoe present as being
least risk of illicit drug exposure. The reasons why young people use drugs
are split according to current users and those who have previously used;
current users report liking the immediate effect whilst those who have
previously used, state that friends and peer pressure were the main reasons
for trying and using drugs. Generally, young people say that it is easy or very
easy to obtain drugs with the majority accessing drugs themselves or directly
from friends and family. The environments in which young people consume
drugs are mainly in public spaces. The results indicate that using,
experimenting, with drugs increases young people’s exposure to becoming a
victim of crime, witnessing or participating in illegal activities. 355 out of 651 of
those interviewed stated that drug use was a ‘bit of a problem’ in their
community.
Young People Perspectives of Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Services
In terms of young people’s perspectives concerning adolescent drug and
alcohol services in the Vale, most indicated that they were aware of the main
access points for information and advice such as the school nurse or general
practitioner but possessed little knowledge of specialist organisations
operating in the Vale. 75% of the 651 young people interviewed had not
accessed any service believing it to be unnecessary. For those accessing
main organisations, most described the service received as being good to
excellent. Most young people suggested that drug and alcohol services both
main and specialist needed to be better advertised/marketed and more
accessible to the age group.
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Youth Support Worker Perspective on Adolescent Alcohol Services
Regarding worker’s perspectives of alcohol services in the Vale, most staff
surveyed rated alcohol issues in regards to young people as a medium to high
occurrence within their field. All sections represented had made young person
enquiries into alcohol services; however, there is evidence to demonstrate a
lack of awareness of alcohol information or referral pathways particularly
amongst statutory and voluntary youth services. 25 out of the 50 workers had
received alcohol advice and information training, mostly delivered externally,
although there is evidence to establish that the training may be dated being
delivered 1 to 3 years ago. 24% of those staff surveyed described themselves
as being tentative and not confident about providing alcohol advice and
information to young people, with 50% having no experience at all of referring
young people to alcohol services. Those staff represented in the Housing &
Homeless and Community Safety Group demonstrated the most awareness
of referral pathways and speciality alcohol services for young people. Popular
suggestions for improving access to Alcohol services for young people were
to improve marketing and promotion, clarify referral pathways and to improve
training to front-line staff, particularly amongst universal youth support
services.
Youth Worker Perspective on Adolescent Drug Services
Finally, with regard to worker’s perspectives of drug services in the Vale,
again most staff surveyed rated drug issues with regards to young people as
a medium to high occurrence within their field. All sections represented had
made young person enquiries into drug services with 3 staff within the
statutory youth services making in excess of 30 enquiries in the last year. As
with alcohol, there is evidence to demonstrate a lack of awareness of drug
information or referral pathways particularly amongst statutory and voluntary
youth services. 75% of workers had received drug advice and information
training, mostly delivered externally, although there is a high percentage of
those receiving training 1 to 3 years ago. As with alcohol 24% of those staff
surveyed described themselves as being tentative and not confident about
providing drug advice and information to young people, with 42% having no
experience at all of referring young people to drug services. Those staff
represented in the Community Safety Group indicated very good experiences
of referral pathways and drug services for young people. Popular suggestions
for improving access to drug services for young people, as with alcohol, were
to improve marketing and promotion, clarify referral pathways particularly the
scope of the work of specialist agencies and to improve training to front-line
staff, particularly amongst universal youth support services.
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