Local secondary school students will tackle the issue of alcohol and substance misuse at the SSMART Answers conference this week (10/08 and 11/08).

Led by young people, the conference brings together students, parents, teachers and community sector workers to explore the issues of personal safety, communicating with parents, laws and legal issues, being a successful non-drinker, alcohol and the impact on friendships and cultural issues.

A series of workshops have been held at Mt Clear Secondary College (21/07), Ballarat High School (26/07) and Ballarat Grammar School (27/07) to raise issues for discussion to ensure the conference responds to the current views and ideas of our city’s young people.

The conference will feature a range of fun, interactive activities where students can incorporate positive messages about alternatives to drinking. Activities include: airbrushing, storytelling with theatre sports, relaxation methods including yoga, leadership workshops and film making blogging.

Presentations by key note speakers, Paul Dillon from Drug and Alcohol Research Training Australia (DARTA) and Eliza McDonald from Step Back.THINK focusing on reducing Street Violence and Alcohol Related Harm.

The two-day SSMART Answers Conference will be held at the Ballarat Mining Exchange.  

The conference is an initiative of the SSMART (Surviving Substance Misuse and Alcohol Risk Taking) Network, part of Strengthening Generations, a program of the City of Ballarat and local community services.