Paraparaumu College Students Promote Anti-Binge Drinking Initiative Paraparaumu College Students Promote Anti-Binge Drinking Initiative
Media Release
2 July 2014
A group of 16 and 17-year old health students from Paraparaumu College are promoting a thought-provoking anti-binge
drinking initiative and helping to raise money for Kapiti Youth Support (KYS) at the same time.
A video called ‘BOB’ and accompanying teaching resources have been developed by students for students to create
awareness about teenage binge drinking. Promoting these resources forms part of the group’s Level 2 NCEA health
assessment, which requires students to develop a Health Promotion Action Plan.
BOB was originally made by Paraparaumu and Kapiti College students in late 2011 and was funded by KYS. It was written
and directed by Mark McCarthy when he was a Kapiti Year 13 student, before going on to study film in Christchurch. It
was previously promoted to local colleges by a past group of Paraparaumu College Level 2 health students during a
campaign entitled ‘Eyes Wide Open’. The title BOB was chosen as the students felt that everyone could relate to the lead
character, as the majority of people know someone of that name.
Brenda McKenzie, Head of Health at Paraparaumu College, wrote the teaching resources in collaboration with students and
Sue Blyth, an ex-KYS Drug and Alcohol counsellor.
The Paraparaumu students have received a huge initial response to their promotion, with enquiries flooding in. “We were
pleasantly surprised: within an hour of emailing the details we had 10 replies from interested schools,” explained Tara
Fitzgerald, a member of the Level 2 health group.
Tara believes the BOB video and teaching resources will help to make a difference and assist with changing the culture
around binge drinking. “There are a significant amount of binge drinkers in Kapiti, but not necessarily any more than
other parts of New Zealand,” she said.
“The fact that teenagers have made this video, and teens are endorsing this, is more influential to other teenagers.
This shows them that there are realistic ways to prevent binge drinking and safer ways to socialise. The teaching
resource could help with the teachers’ lesson planning, and give them ideas about how to have good conversations with
students”.
Holly Roberts-Bristow thinks that reducing alcohol advertising may make a big difference to the drinking culture and to
the community. “Less advertising would decrease the desire to binge drink, similarly to what the tobacco industry has
done, banned all adverting of tobacco products,” she stated.
Health student, Eireann Vender says they are raising money for KYS because it initially helped with the making of BOB.
“KYS is also a very helpful free service that so many students use,” she added.
Raechel Osborne from Kapiti Youth Support sees this promotion as an extension to the work already undertaken by previous
students. “It is a continuation of the collaborative journey, one where a community is driven to make a difference,” she
explained.
“There is a huge problem with drinking, not just in Kapiti, and it’s great to see our community being proactive and
supporting our young people to do something about it.
“KYS are able to give young people the resources, walking right alongside them, whilst removing the barriers to getting
the message across to our youth.”
Paraparaumu College Principal Gregor Fountain was delighted with the success of the project. “It’s great to see our
students taking the initiative and ensuring that the important messages around the issue of binge drinking are being
promoted to a wider community of schools, whilst helping to contribute to the essential services locally provided by
Kapiti Youth Support,” he acknowledged.
The 2014 Year 12 Paraparaumu health students promoting the BOB Video and accompanying resources are: Eireann Vender,
Holly Roberts and Tara Fitzgerald.
To watch the BOB video click here: http://youtu.be/-DTR5wQIsUE
The video is relevant to many age groups and the teaching resource includes information and activities that support the
issues the video raises and can be applied to the classroom. There are teaching suggestions for Health Achievement
Standards 1.6 and 2.1.
The video and teaching resources are available for a small donation of $5 or more to Kapiti Youth Support.
Donations should be made to, KYS One Stop Shop Trust Westpac Bank, Paraparaumu 03-0732-0304376-00. Subscribers are asked
to include their name, with the reference ‘BOB’. KYS donations are tax deductible. Please email: kys@kys.org.nzto be sent a receipt.
Kapiti Youth Support (KYS) is a free confidential health and support service for anyone aged 10-24 living in Kapiti.
Click here for more information http://www.kys.co.nz.
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