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Legacy lives on in youth
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April 2009
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Two bequests left to Red Cross have contributed to the introduction of a youth education program for the Wimmera region.
The generosity of area locals and Red Cross members Dulcie Wik and Mary Butler will be supplemented by a generous grant from the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust. The combined funds will see a total amount of approximately $300,000 committed to implementing the save-a-mate program over a three-year period.
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Save-a-mate encourages young people to take responsibility for themselves and others. Photo: Lisa Fitzgerald. |
Save-a-mate is a national Red Cross program that promotes the health and wellbeing of young people by providing education, services and support on current and emerging health issues, particularly those relating to drug use and mental health.
Save-a-mate was identified as a priority program for the region following extensive consultation with representatives from local youth agencies, city councils and primary care partnership staff, as well as research on health demographics across the area.
Equipping young people
At the heart of the save-a-mate program is the Alcohol and Other Drugs Emergency Course, designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge to provide potentially life-saving support to their mates and others.
An allocation of funds has already contributed to the establishment of an office in Horsham and the engagement of a part-time project worker. Horsham local Andrew King joined Red Cross at the beginning of October and will work two and a half days each week on the program.
Andrew is responsible for recruiting, training and supporting young volunteers to deliver the emergency course to young people in schools, community centres and sporting clubs in and around Edenhope, Horsham, Minyip, Nhill and Warracknabeal. In the process, young people will be encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and others.
Working together
Andrew shares an office space with staff from four youth agencies in Horsham.
'Since I took on the role of Save-a-mate Program Officer, I have spent most of my time talking with relevant stakeholders including schools, youth agencies and the police,' Andrew said.
'The response so far has been fantastic - the community has been really looking forward to the program,' he said.
'Everyone I have spoken to has agreed that we need something to address binge drinking in the area. While there is some drug use by young people in the community, it is definitely secondary to the problems we are seeing with youth drinking.
'Save-a-mate is not about telling young people not to drink or take drugs, although at the same time we are definitely not encouraging it. The program is about teaching young people how to help their mates who have overdosed on drugs or alcohol, without fear of getting into trouble with the police or peers,' he said.
While Horsham has a Red Cross unit of dedicated members, a retail shop run by committed volunteers and a Blood Service, this is the first time a Red Cross community service has been run in the region.
It is anticipated that 170 save-a-mate emergency courses will be conducted over the three-year period, with more than 3000 young people benefitting from the generosity of Dulcie and Mary.
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