Location: Tudor Grange Academy, Solihull
Event: Educational Sessions
Awareness Topics: Alcohol Awareness (Safe Night Out)
For the second year in a row, we were invited back to Tudor Grange Academy in Solihull to be a part of their PSHE Day for over 140 Year 12 students. Throughout the day we worked in partnership with several other organisations, including West Midlands Fire Service, to encourage students to make sensible and informed decisions.
The focus of our sessions was Safe Night Out which covered several different topics with the aim to ensure the students keep themselves and their friend’s safe, particularly during the Christmas and New Year period.
The sessions began with different perceptions of a night out; more importantly the benefits of staying sober or drinking within lower limits. We then discussed the vulnerabilities which could be faced on a night out if someone has drunk an excessive amount of alcohol, such as drink spiking, assault, or mugging. The key message being that if a person is intoxicated they may not make sensible decisions. We went on to explore the reasons for this and look at ways those vulnerabilities could be removed.
The students were then invited to take part in the Safe Night Out Challenge; a series of activities to highlight some dangers they might face on a night out. This included tasks such as withdrawing money from a cash machine whilst wearing alcohol impairment goggles, and while many of the students saw the funny side of this experience, they also acknowledged the seriousness and recognised many of the possible consequences for drinking large amounts of alcohol.
The final topic we covered in the session focussed on alcohol poisoning. We discussed some of the signs to look out for, and what the students should and shouldn’t do if someone they know someone who has alcohol poisoning. This reinforced the importance of keeping themselves and their friends safe by looking out for one another and taking a moment to consider any actions before they take them.