The forum which is being organised by the Australian Drug Foundation can help you address alcohol and other drug issues in your community. The forum will be delivered in two sessions on August 11.

KEEP em SAFE  is proud to be involved in a Geelong Community forum discussing Secondary Supply of alcohol.

 The forum which is being organised by the Australian Drug Foundation can help you address alcohol and other drug issues in your community. The forum will be delivered in two sessions on August 11.

Session 1

3.30pm – 5pm

Secondary Supply: who’s buying alcohol for your child?

Presented by Sarah Jaggard Community Action Alcohol Network, Australian Drug Foundation

Helen Torpy – Keep Em Safe

Good Sports program update – Rod Glenn-Smith

Session 2

7pm – 9pm

Alcohol management & policies in sports clubs

Opening address

Leisure Networks – Rob McHenry CEO

Welcome

Geelong City Council representative

Presentations

Responsible Alcohol Victoria – Kathy Reynolds Compliance Officer City of Geelong

Leisure Networks – Healthy sports environments demonstration project briefing & update – Rob McHenry

Good Sports program update – Rod Glenn-Smith, Good Sports State Manager, Australian Drug Foundation

Secondary Supply – Sarah Jaggard Community Action Alcohol Network, Australian Drug Foundation

Venue

Sports House, Skilled Stadium 370 Moorabool Street Geelong, Victoria in the Alex Popescu Room (North)

Date

August 11, 2010

RSVP
events@adf.org.au

  Secondary supply of alcohol to minors poses an enormous health risk to our young generation. It is the ‘powerhouse’ behind our current teenage drinking epidemic and encourages early introduction of alcohol as well as on-going availability. This disturbing phenomenon has been overlooked on a large scale by parents, [...]]]>     “Think again before you buy and supply”

  Secondary supply of alcohol to minors poses an enormous health risk to our young generation. It is the ‘powerhouse’ behind our current teenage drinking epidemic and encourages early introduction of alcohol as well as on-going availability. This disturbing phenomenon has been overlooked on a large scale by parents, the wider community and our government and is exacerbated by inadequate laws that address the secondary supply of alcohol to minors in an unlicensed premise. This has tragically resulted in death and serious injury of young teenagers. 

 Kids have easy access to alcohol these days:

• In private party settings where parents or others are hosting teenage parties and supplying or encouraging BYO alcohol.
• By attending a party or gathering where alcohol is present and poor communication or supervision by the host.
• Purchased and exchanged by another person (often a stranger that agrees to buy when approached by the child.)
• Purchased by parents, friends or older sibling -often for consumption at a party

Under current Victorian law there is no legislation to protect your child from reckless or unauthorised supply of alcohol in an unlicensed premise-such as a private party or gathering.

Keep em safe, Leigh Clark Foundation and the Australian Drug foundation are campaigning the Victorian and Federal Government.

 Introducing legislation will:

• Provide a safety net for our young people.
• Stamp the community message that it is both unsafe and unacceptable to supply an underage child alcohol without the permission of the parent or guardian.
• Reduce pressure on minors to start drinking early.
• Provide parents with support and a good reason to resist supplying them alcohol for consumption without their supervision and help support them to impose boundaries.
• Provide the catalyst for a change in culture surrounding alcohol and young people.

 There is a groundswell of support from parents, schools, health experts, police, youth agencies and organisations.

We need your voice to add to the campaign by emailing or writing to your local Member of Parliament or use the emails below.

                      Join the campaign and help keep our young people safe from alcohol related harm

Your email will make a difference. Write and tell them you are concerned that Victoria has no laws to protect minors and that you support the introduction of  secondary supply legislation.

The Hon.Lisa Neville                                                                                The Hon John Brumby

Minister for Community Services                                                   Premier of Victoria

lisa.neville@parliament.vic.gov.au                                               john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au

 Mary Wooldridge MLA                                                                              Mr Ted Baillieu

Shadow Minister for community services                                   Leader of the Opposition

mary.woolridge@parliament.vic.gov.au                                     ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au

Keepemsafe.com.au

 Thank you to all the Lara Lions members, friends, families, golfers and sponsors for [...]]]> Keep em Safe was the proud recipient of funds raised by the Lions Club of Lara.  A cheque for $7,000 was presented to Helen Torpy on June 28^th which was the proceeds from the Annual Mc Manus Charity Golf Day and a Trivia night.

 Thank you to all the Lara Lions members, friends, families, golfers and sponsors for your efforts in supporting Keep em Safe to address youth and alcohol issues.

 (Outgoing President Jeff Cahn, presenting ‘Keepemsafe‘ Director Helen Torpy,
with a cheque for $7,000 raised from a Trivia Night and Annual Golf Day proceeds)

“Keep em Safe is dedicated to the prevention of alcohol related harm in young people and aims to provide [...]]]> Keepemsafe.com.au makes its debut in the world of blogs today. We would like to thank geelongblog.com for sponsoring our website and welcome the growing community support and interest in addressing the important issue of teenage drinking.

“Keep em Safe is dedicated to the prevention of alcohol related harm in young people and aims to provide insight, education and a medium for engaging and connecting parents, community and government to target our current epidemic of underage drinking”.

Founded by Helen Torpy in response to growing community concerns with our teenage drinking culture -particularly in the private party environment. The focus was primarily on the issue of secondary supply of alcohol to minors in an unlicensed premise and the current loophole in the Victorian law. Keep em Safe joined forces with the Australian Drug Foundation and the Leigh Clark foundation and has since raised awareness to the community and government on a State and Federal level.

We believe that a holistic approach is also needed to address the complex issues facing the community and our kids today and will continue to strive to prevent alcohol related harm in our young people so they can reach their dreams.

cheers

Admin