Youth Touched By Alcohol Harm To Change Our Drinking Culture, Australia

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Article Date: 15 Jul 2010 - 3:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The Australian Drug Foundation's Youth Strategy Officer, Clancy Wright, has been chosen as a Churchill fellow to investigate ways to change Australia's drinking culture.

"After the trauma of watching the vicious assault of my friend, I am determined to find some real solutions to changing the way we as a nation drink alcohol," said Mr Wright.

24year old, Mr Wright will be receiving the prestigious Churchill Fellowship at a ceremony to be held on 30 July. The Fellowship was established after the death of Sir Winston Churchill in accordance with his final wishes.

This September, Mr Wright will be visiting countries across Europe to examine drinking cultures similar to Australia and investigate initiatives to reduce harmful drinking. He will be bringing this knowledge back to the Australian Drug Foundation and the wider community to inform proposed legislative change.

The journey towards changing Australia's drinking culture started after a vicious alcohol-fuelled attack left Mr Wright's friend in a permanent, vegetative state:

2006 - James Macready-Bryan (MB) was attacked in Melbourne's CBD while celebrating his 20th birthday.

2008 - Co-founded Step Back Think, an organisation which aims to raise awareness of the violent culture that has emerged and possible ways to change it.

2009 - Joined the Australian Drug Foundation as the Youth Strategy Officer. Since joining the Foundation, Mr Wright has worked steadily on developing strategies to make it easier for people within the community to voice their concerns about liquor licensing.

2010 - Awarded a Churchill Fellowship to examine ways other countries around the world are combating harms occurring from alcohol for evidence based changed in Australia.

Mr Wright will be meeting with key alcohol and health experts across Europe including:

- European Alcohol Policy Alliance
- Ministers and political advisors
- Community action groups
- Swedish Institute of Public Health
- Alcohol Focus Scotland
- Institute of Alcohol Studies London.

Mr John Rogerson, CEO Australian Drug Foundation, says the organisation is thrilled for Clancy on this achievement. "This is a fantastic opportunity for Clancy to investigate how other countries are tackling the issue of alcohol related harms and the binge drinking culture and we are hoping this journey will support more solutions to these issues in Australia" said Mr Rogerson.

"We can all do something about the problem of alcohol related violence across the community. It is not going to change overnight, but it is a soluble problem," Mr Wright said.

"I believe this opportunity will enable me to empower communities, NGOs and all levels of government to enact real change and reduce the enormous, life shattering damage alcohol has on our community," said Mr Wright.

Alcohol remains one of the major causes of preventable death and illness in Australia. It puts 1500 people in hospital every week and kills more than 3000 Australians each year. This is something Mr Wright believes we have the power to prevent.

Celebrating more than 50 years of service to the community, the Australian Drug Foundation is Australia's leading body committed to preventing alcohol and other drug problems in communities around the nation.

The Foundation reaches more than a million Australians through community sporting clubs and also works with a wide range of Australians in governments, workplaces, health care settings and schools, offering educational information and campaigning for healthy and strong communities.

Source:
Australian Drug Foundation

• Additional
• References
• Citations