CLIC Scores A Hit With DnA Day
By admin
Issued on behalf of Careers Wales Cardiff
Organised by Gwent Police, the most recent ‘DnA’ (Drug & Alcohol Awareness) Day that took place at Abergavenny’s King Henry VIII Comprehensive School, proved a huge hit with pupils, who took part in a range of workshops, designed to increase their awareness and understanding of drug and alcohol misuse and the associated dangers.
With support from Careers Wales and CLIC – its online National Information and Advice Service for young people across Wales (aged between 11-25), it formed part of the All Wales Police School Liaison Programme – the aim being to help pupils to make safe and informed choices about important issues that may affect their daily lives.
A Red Cross Youth & Schools project manager was on hand to give an interactive presentation, during which the youngsters learned the basics of CPR and how to look after themselves in situations where they may come into contact with alcohol or friends who are under the influence and needing assistance. Speaking about his involvement, Nigel Franklyn, who gave the talk, said he was always pleased to come face to face with teenagers in this way and speak to them on their level:
“I really think the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to get a message across to teenagers is to speak down to them – they’re not stupid and in most cases, are pretty streetwise, so my aim with these days is to tell it as it is. There’s no point pretending they’re never going to get drunk or come into contact with alcohol so the best we can do is not to preach but to warn them of the potential consequences and hopefully raise their awareness of the problems they could face.”
Other presentations included a full introduction to the CLIC website – the portal which contains up to date, unbiased information on an array of youth-related issues, from
more drug and alcohol awareness, to housing, employment, education, money and law & rights.
In an emotional speech, members of Drug Alcohol Family Support – parents of children whose lives, and as a knock on effect, whose families’ lives have been badly affected by involvement with drugs – talked about the consequences and Gwent Police provided advice on bullying.
CARAT (Counselling Assessment Referral Advice & Thoroughfare) worker, Steve Haines, accompanied a serving prisoner from HMP Prescoed, who was on hand to speak to pupils about his own experiences of life on the inside and how easy it is to take the wrong path. As well as answering questions, he brought with him prison issue items, such as clothing and basic cutlery, for the pupils to get a real understanding of what they’d have to give up if they were ever faced with a prison sentence.
One of the most interactive workshops saw pupils don ‘beer goggles’ – glasses that replicate the sensation of being drunk – and asked to carry out everyday tasks while ‘under the influence’.
Pupil, Peter Campbell, said he was shocked by his own reactions.
“As soon as I put the goggles on it all felt a bit weird and I just couldn’t function as well as I normally would – walking in to walls is funny in the classroom but it really made me think about what might actually happen if it was for real.”
Summing up the day, CLIC co-ordinator, Christine Baker, who’s based at Careers Wales Gwent, said she was pleased that pupils had given such a positive reaction.
“Days such as these are just the best way for us to get in front of young people and provide what we feel is the advice and guidance they need at a time when they really start making decisions for themselves. The whole aim of CLIC is that if young people feel uneasy about speaking to somebody in person, there’s a whole online resource that they can access to get the information that will help them and all they have to do is log on to www.cliconline.co.uk to see what it’s all about.”
