National Drug and Alcohol Awards

Celebrating Australian achievements to prevent
and reduce alcohol and other drug use and harm

Principal Sponsor

Major Sponsors

Supporter

Collaborating organisations

Local Geelong Program ‘finalist’ in 2007 National Drug & Alcohol Award for Excellence in Services to Young People

The Supporting Kids and their Environment (SKATE) program in Geelong is one of three finalists in the 2007 National Drug and Alcohol Excellence in Services to Young People award. This program identified a need for ‘whole of family’ approaches to substance abuse to promote positive outcomes both for the young people and their parents.

Research has shown that the SKATE experience mitigates the loss and stigmatisation the children of substance-addicted parents feel. It provides the children with a safe emotional space and support to understand substance abuse and make their own positive choices.

The need for this project arose as women are less than three times likely to access treatment services for substance abuse, citing leaving their children as a significant issue. SKATE addresses this need by allowing the family unit to remain together.

A formal evaluation of the program indicated that the prevalence of clinical behaviours such as depression and anxiety decreased. This evaluation also noted positive changes in the children’s overall behaviour as a result of participating in SKATE.

The winner of the Award for Excellence in Services to Young People will be announced on June 22, 2007 in Sydney at a gala dinner to be held at the Four Seasons Hotel.

“Every day of the week I see the ravages of drug and alcohol abuse on good Australians and their families. As a nation we lose about $1.2 billion and 7.5 million working days due to the effects of alcohol abuse alone. The emotional cost of drug and alcohol abuse to families includes domestic violence, suicide, depression, plus health issues such as brain, liver and heart damage. To meet the devastation brought on by drug and alcohol abuse are thousands of dedicated professionals, researchers, organisations and volunteers doing work that is world leading throughout all States of Australia. These Awards go some little way to recognizing the fantastic, innovative work they do with such passion and conviction. We applaud them,” says Wesley Noffs, Chair of the NDAA 2007 Awards.

“It is a great privilege to support the national alcohol and other drugs sector in celebrating the achievements of their unsung heroes, said Daryl Smeaton, CEO of the AER Foundation. As the major sponsor of these awards, AER congratulates all the winners, finalists and nominees.”

The National Drug and Alcohol Awards are a collaborative effort of the Ted Noffs Foundation, The Australian Drug Foundation, The Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia and the Australian National Council on Drugs.

It is estimated around 10,000 Australians now work directly in drug and alcohol treatment across Australia with a further 8,500 in associated sectors.
Sponsors of the awards are the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation (Principal sponsor), the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (major sponsor); Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (major sponsor) and NSW Health — ActNow (supporter)

To interview the finalist please contact Sam Hunt on 02 6122 8600. For more information about the National Drug & Alcohol Awards go to http://www.drugawards.org.au/