23 Feb 2010

A new online health promotion campaign aims to address binge drinking among same-sex attracted young people.

Called Party Safely With The Big Heads, the fun and educational online resource takes the form of a choose-your-own-adventure game containing information about reducing the harms associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs.

The resource has been produced by ACON – Australia’s largest community-based gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) health and HIV/AIDS organisation – with funding from FebFast, a national charity that raises funds to reduce the impact of alcohol and other drug use on young Australians.

ACON Alcohol and Other Drugs Program Manager Angela Matheson says players of the interactive game use large-headed avatars to explore the effects of drug and alcohol use when partying at home or at a club. The URL is www.partysafely.org.au

Ms Matheson says ACON is extremely grateful to FebFast for making the funding available for the Big Heads project.

“Youth binge drinking is at least as much an issue among GLBT youth as it is for youth in the general population,” she says.

“Risky drinking behaviour can result in accidents, poor decision-making regarding unsafe sex or being involved in incidents of physical violence.

“Through this new online resource, ACON and FebFast are raising awareness of the issue and sharing knowledge and skills that will enable young GLBT people to make healthy and informed choices about their drinking.”

Ms Matheson says a range of stakeholders were consulted during the development and production of the resource including FebFast, GLBT youth support service Twenty10, the Manly Drug Education and Counselling Centre and the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

She says ACON also consulted with various young GLBT people from ACON’s youth projects to make sure young people liked the concept and the final product.

“Some of them actually feature as characters in the game while some also drafted the conversations that occur as players navigate the game. And they’re also helping us promote the game on a range of social networking sites and at various events over the Mardi Gras season.”

You can check out Party Safely With The Big Heads at www.partysafely.org.au, www.facebook.com/partysafely or www.twitter.com/partysafely