Flexistentialist
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2002
- Messages
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National Drugs Campaign 2005 to Launch
The Australian Government will soon launch a new phase of the National Drugs Campaign. The aim of the campaign is to contribute to a reduction in the proportion of young Australians using illicit drugs. This bulletin is designer to provide a wide range of stakeholders with information about the campaign.
In mid-to-late April 2005 the campaign will begin with print and television advertisements, encouraging parents to talk with their children about drugs. This will involve using the television advertisements from the 2001 phase of the campaign, modelling parents initiating conversations about drugs with their children.
A week later, three new television and cinema advertisements will follow. These will target young people about the harms associated with cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines. The television and cinema campaign will be supported by a number of other communication strategies and resource materials.
This prevention campaign aims to educate young people about the risks and negative consequences of illicit drug use. The campaign also encourages and reinforces protective factors in young people's lives including parental involvement and engagement with support services for those with the greatest need.
The campaign is funded under the National Illicit Drug Strategy.
Campaign Elements
The campaign will consist of:
* Print, television and cinema advertisements targeting young people and their parents.
* Youth marketing activities to promote credible alternatives to drug use and encourage positive lifestyles.
* Resource materials with practical 'how to' information for parents, including these from a non-English speaking background.
* Information materials for service providers and stakeholders
* Activities to address the specific needs of Indigenous Australians
Expert Advice
The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) has worked closely with the Department of Health and Ageing to develop a campaign based upon expert advice and research evidence.
* The ANCD Campaign Reference Group has contributed at all stages of advertising and resource development, from creative concepts through to production of the final advertisements and resources.
Strategic Approach to Targeting Youth
The campaign formative research conducted by Blue Moon Research and Planning clearly indicates that young people vary in their attitudes towards drugs and towards their lives more generally. To address the different attitudes and needs of youth, three parallel streams of communication activity are being implemented simultaneously.
The campaign will specifically address cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines, as well as promoting the benefits of not using any illicit drugs, Cannabis will be targeted due to its high prevalence of use, with ecstasy and amphetamines as the next most commonly used illicit drugs. All three drugs are associated with significant negative health consequences and other harms.
Communication Stream 1 - Reinforcement
This stream:
* Primarily targets 13 to 18 year olds.
* Reinforces negative beliefs about, and negative attitudes toward, illicit drug use.
* Communicates credible evidence-based information about the potential negative physical, psychological and social consequences of the use of particular illicit drugs.
Communication Stream 2—Positive Alternatives to Drug Use
This stream:
* Promotes positive images and messages from young people to young people about the benefits of not using drugs and of the range of alternative ways of positively experiencing excitement and challenges in your life.
* Primarily targets 13 to 17 year olds.
* Focuses on risk-taking youth.
Communication Stream 3—Support and Connectedness
This stream:
* Encourages young people who need assistance and support to seek it, and in cases where drug use is already a problem, to seek treatment.
* Promotes awareness of counselling services and practical support and assistance, as well as information services for alcohol and drug treatment.
* Targets 13 to 17 year olds within the school system and 16 to 24 year olds outside of school.
Other Target Audiences
• Parents
The campaign includes advertising to encourage and assist parents to talk with their children about drugs. There is also a booklet for parents, providing current and relevant information regarding drugs, strategies for talking to their children about them and sources of further information and assistance.
• Service Providers
Service providers targeted in the campaign are school counsellors, youth workers, general practitioners and alcohol and drug agencies. These providers form a key component of the third communication stream targeting youth at risk of, or currently, using illicit drugs. Service providers can have an important role to play in the campaign regarding information dissemination, and intervention and support for parents and young people.
Campaign Resources
The campaign will be supported by a range of resources including:
* A campaign web site targeting parents, the wider community and media.
* A youth web site.
* A 1800 free-call information line.
* A booklet for parents.
* In-language information resources for parents from non-English speaking backgrounds.
* A booklet and wallet card for youth. When the campaign commences, these can be ordered through the web site or information line.
Further Information
National Drugs Campaign Information Line: 1800 250 015
Campaign Team Contact: (02) 6289 7471
Campaign Website: www.drugs.health.gov.au
The Australian Government will soon launch a new phase of the National Drugs Campaign. The aim of the campaign is to contribute to a reduction in the proportion of young Australians using illicit drugs. This bulletin is designer to provide a wide range of stakeholders with information about the campaign.
In mid-to-late April 2005 the campaign will begin with print and television advertisements, encouraging parents to talk with their children about drugs. This will involve using the television advertisements from the 2001 phase of the campaign, modelling parents initiating conversations about drugs with their children.
A week later, three new television and cinema advertisements will follow. These will target young people about the harms associated with cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines. The television and cinema campaign will be supported by a number of other communication strategies and resource materials.
This prevention campaign aims to educate young people about the risks and negative consequences of illicit drug use. The campaign also encourages and reinforces protective factors in young people's lives including parental involvement and engagement with support services for those with the greatest need.
The campaign is funded under the National Illicit Drug Strategy.
Campaign Elements
The campaign will consist of:
* Print, television and cinema advertisements targeting young people and their parents.
* Youth marketing activities to promote credible alternatives to drug use and encourage positive lifestyles.
* Resource materials with practical 'how to' information for parents, including these from a non-English speaking background.
* Information materials for service providers and stakeholders
* Activities to address the specific needs of Indigenous Australians
Expert Advice
The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) has worked closely with the Department of Health and Ageing to develop a campaign based upon expert advice and research evidence.
* The ANCD Campaign Reference Group has contributed at all stages of advertising and resource development, from creative concepts through to production of the final advertisements and resources.
Strategic Approach to Targeting Youth
The campaign formative research conducted by Blue Moon Research and Planning clearly indicates that young people vary in their attitudes towards drugs and towards their lives more generally. To address the different attitudes and needs of youth, three parallel streams of communication activity are being implemented simultaneously.
The campaign will specifically address cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines, as well as promoting the benefits of not using any illicit drugs, Cannabis will be targeted due to its high prevalence of use, with ecstasy and amphetamines as the next most commonly used illicit drugs. All three drugs are associated with significant negative health consequences and other harms.
Communication Stream 1 - Reinforcement
This stream:
* Primarily targets 13 to 18 year olds.
* Reinforces negative beliefs about, and negative attitudes toward, illicit drug use.
* Communicates credible evidence-based information about the potential negative physical, psychological and social consequences of the use of particular illicit drugs.
Communication Stream 2—Positive Alternatives to Drug Use
This stream:
* Promotes positive images and messages from young people to young people about the benefits of not using drugs and of the range of alternative ways of positively experiencing excitement and challenges in your life.
* Primarily targets 13 to 17 year olds.
* Focuses on risk-taking youth.
Communication Stream 3—Support and Connectedness
This stream:
* Encourages young people who need assistance and support to seek it, and in cases where drug use is already a problem, to seek treatment.
* Promotes awareness of counselling services and practical support and assistance, as well as information services for alcohol and drug treatment.
* Targets 13 to 17 year olds within the school system and 16 to 24 year olds outside of school.
Other Target Audiences
• Parents
The campaign includes advertising to encourage and assist parents to talk with their children about drugs. There is also a booklet for parents, providing current and relevant information regarding drugs, strategies for talking to their children about them and sources of further information and assistance.
• Service Providers
Service providers targeted in the campaign are school counsellors, youth workers, general practitioners and alcohol and drug agencies. These providers form a key component of the third communication stream targeting youth at risk of, or currently, using illicit drugs. Service providers can have an important role to play in the campaign regarding information dissemination, and intervention and support for parents and young people.
Campaign Resources
The campaign will be supported by a range of resources including:
* A campaign web site targeting parents, the wider community and media.
* A youth web site.
* A 1800 free-call information line.
* A booklet for parents.
* In-language information resources for parents from non-English speaking backgrounds.
* A booklet and wallet card for youth. When the campaign commences, these can be ordered through the web site or information line.
Further Information
National Drugs Campaign Information Line: 1800 250 015
Campaign Team Contact: (02) 6289 7471
Campaign Website: www.drugs.health.gov.au