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| 07/06/06 Press Release – Life is about choices Making positive choices in life is easier said than done especially for young people in a city like Liverpool where binge drinking is evident every Saturday night. How can young people prepare for the challenges they face, growing up in city, where alcohol is the foundation on which a 24-hour economy is built? ‘Life is about Choices,’ is an education resource pack that aims to encourage young people to think about the difficulties they face if they drink alcohol. It is being launched to Key Stage 3 & 4 teachers from the south Sefton on June 13 at Liverpool’s Crowne Plaza hotel. The Ariel Trust in conjunction with the Capital of Culture and filmmakers LA Productions, produced the pack that is already being used by more than a thousand Liverpool school children after its initial launch in April. It contains a DVD called Plastered that features a group of young, local actors. Alongside this is a learning programme that enables teachers to explore these issues in the classroom. The pack’s writer and Director of the Ariel Trust, Paul Ainsworth, said: “It’s about equipping young people with skills they need as they grow up in a world where alcohol is a part of everyday life. “How do young people make positive choices about alcohol? If one young person can choose an orange juice instead of a vodka before they feel sick, then we’ve succeeded. Or if one young woman has the skills to deal with a boyfriend who is trying to ply her with drink then we will have achieved something worthwhile.” The pack is part of the ‘It’s Not OK’ project initiated by the Capital of Culture, which is specifically designed to discourage antisocial behaviour in Liverpool. Mr Ainsworth added: “Capital of Culture is not just about a big party that takes place in 2008. It’s also about developing the culture of Liverpool in all kinds of ways and this includes tackling negative aspects of that culture and making positive changes.” Helen Paton, Ariel Trust’s School Project Manager, said: “Part of the production involved listening to teachers in a series of focus groups. This is not another initiative that makes new demands on teachers. It has been carefully designed to fit into the national curriculum and support the work that teachers are already engaged in. “The schools that are already using it have found it really relevant. It’s well designed, innovative and there are few resources of this kind available.” To further encourage thought on the subject, a scriptwriting competition is included in the pack. Ariel’s aim is to see five thousand school children using the resource and entering scripts for a new radio drama called Positive Choices. The winners will fine-tune their scripts with writer and Ariel Trust trustee, Maurice Bessman. He has worked on scripts for Hollyoaks, Holby and Casualty, as well as many stage and radio plays. Mrs Paton added: “The competition allows young people to share thoughts and feelings that they may otherwise be nervous about discussing in the classroom. It also allows them to be creative and to explore other ways of communicating with their peers about a subject that does affects them.” The deadline for entries is the end of December 2006 and the winning drama will be professionally produced and broadcast on local radio. Amanda Shaw, Head of Life Skills at St. Hilda’s High School, Liverpool, is using the pack with all Year 9 pupils. She said: “It does make teaching the PSHE subject easier and the elements of the pack fit in nicely with the curriculum. “There are a lot of media influences which make alcohol look glamorous. This gives them the opportunity to think first. You can’t stop them from doing it but you can educate them on the effects alcohol can have on themselves as well as on other people.” And Citizenship teacher at The Blue Coat School, Marian Roberts, said: “The DVD is a great stimulus and it brings focus to the lesson. I overheard one pupil saying that the film was very powerful. “The pack lends itself to different directions – sex education, alcohol education and life choices. It stands by itself but it also works with other things you do. And it’s also more engaging than using a textbook.” Ends Editor Notes: For further details of the “Its Not Ok” project see www.liverpool08.com |