Unsafe driving, drinking and other risky behaviours increase the chance that teenagers or their friends will be killed or injured in a traumatic incident (car accident, fall, assault). Our P.A.R.T.Y Program aims to help young people understand risks, choices and consequences.
P.A.R.T.Y stands for Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth. It began in Toronto in Canada in 1986 and is now run in over 100 sites around the world including Brazil, Japan, Germany and the USA.
The P.A.R.T.Y Program is designed for 18-25 year olds to experience the reality of traumatic injuries. It involves a full day at The Royal Melbourne Hospital from 8.50am until 3pm, seeing things and listening to presenters. Though this may not sound like your kind of party, we are not here to tell you that you can’t have a good time. We actually want your good times to last as long as possible by helping you to make smart choices and avoid getting injured.
On the 30th April 2010, the first program was piloted with 12 young people aged between 18-25 years involved in road traffic incidents in Melbourne and focused on injury and recidivism. To date over 55 programs have been delivered, with over 2000 young participants involved; and we have a 9% recidivism rate.
P.A.R.T.Y Process
- Magistrates’ Court referral
(Sunshine, Werribee and Broadmeadows Courts) - Individual psycho-social assessments
(The Youth Junction Inc.) - Pre-P.A.R.T.Y Introduction Session
(40 participants – The Youth Junction Inc., RMH, VicPol, and JLTC) - P.A.R.T.Y Workshop
(1 day workshop at The Royal Melbourne Hospital) - Post-P.A.R.T.Y Debrief Session
Young people prepare their court reports reflecting on their experience of the program.
Magistrates’ Court sentencing
