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Community Level Initiative

In March 2008 the Prime Minister announced a National Binge Drinking Strategy which provides $53.5 million over four years to address binge drinking among young people. This included $7.2 million for a community based grants round, which provides an avenue to establish and develop local solutions to address youth binge drinking within communities.

The first community based grants round of the CLI was advertised on 28 June 2008. Applications closed on 11 August 2008 and the Department received over 300 proposals. These proposals were rigorously assessed against set criteria before consideration by an Expert Advisory Group (EAG).

The EAG comprised representatives from the Australian National Council on Drugs (including indigenous representation), the Australian Local Government Association, representatives from the Australian Youth Forum, and the Department of Health and Ageing. The EAG undertook assessment of the short-listed proposals and recommended 19 projects for funding.

The following 19 successful community level grants were announced on 17 November 2008.

• Careworks for The Frog Crew project ($118,000) to support a crew of trained and equipped primarily volunteer youth workers to serve the needs of young people on Friday and Saturday nights in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.
• Waminda: South Coast Women's Health & Welfare Aboriginal Corporation - in partnership with the South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation and the South East Sydney and Illawarra Health Service for the Koori Chicks Binge Drinking Project ($248,775) - to increase the confidence of young Aboriginal women to manage their drinking, relationships and sexual health.
• Newcastle City Council for the Miromulliko project ($249,955) to manage environments in the Newcastle late night inner city in order to reduce the level of harm associated with binge drinking.
• Broken Hill Community Drug Action Team for the Drink Safe Community Initiative ($236,000) to reduce risky drinking behaviours and develop an ongoing "Drink Safe Community" initiative.
• Nambucca Valley Youth Services Centre for the Mid North Coast Street Team ($250,000) to engage young people in developing and implementing preventative strategies to reduce the incidence of risky alcohol use.
• Assisting Drug Dependants Inc for the Party Safe Binge Drinking Project ($243,300) to minimise harm and risky behaviours associated with binge drinking through a number of initiatives aimed at young people in the Canberra region.
• Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation for the Grog and You project ($149,944) to reduce the incidence of binge drinking among youth in Indigenous communities east of Katherine in the Northern Territory by providing key life skills, enhancing attitudes and positive behaviour in being responsible with alcohol, and increasing awareness of alcohol’s harmful effects to themselves, family and community.
• King Island Council for the Youth Access Program ($60,800) to provide alcohol-free venues for youth related activities.
• Lutheran Church of Australia for the On Friday Night in Kilburn project ($248,954).
• Shire of Katanning for the Katanning Alcohol Prevention Project ($210,730) to provide young people with information, skills and knowledge to make appropriate decisions about consuming alcohol.
• Milbi Incorporated for the Club 500 Binge Drinking Awareness ($150,000) to target Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth by conducting anti-binge drinking events such as concerts and school visits.
• Australian Red Cross Society Queensland for the Binge Drinking Harm Minimisation Project ($150,000) to respond to binge drinking, specifically towards the needs of vulnerable target groups in the greater Brisbane and Toowoomba area.
• Anglicare North Queensland Limited Youth Substance Misuse Service for their Binge Drinking Initiative ($150,000) to provide school leavers with awareness of laws, penalties, standard drinks, drink spiking and many similar activities.
• Ipswich State High School & Bremer State High School for their Post Formal Mystery Tour ($40,000) for drug and alcohol free alternatives for students to celebrate their end of Year 12.
• Sunshine Coast Youth Partnership Inc for the Drink Safe Coalition ($250,000) to promote the concept of safe drinking and provide community capacity and engagement to support and proliferate targeted programs, interventions and alternative activities.
• Russian Ethnic Representative Council of Victoria for their Reducing Binge-drinking in Russian/Slavic project ($150,000) to conduct a broad community education campaign.
• Victorian Arabic Social Services for their Stay Cool: Think before you drink project ($150,000) to boost resilience and protective factors as well as awareness-raising across the Arabic community.
• Springvale Community Aid & Advice Bureau for their Binge Drinking Project ($229,904) to increase personal responsibility and decrease risk taking behaviour by engaging young people.
• City of Greater Geelong for the Barwon Safe Parties Project ($241,030) to address issues related to young people, alcohol and parties.

There will be a second round of community based grants under the Australian Government’s National Binge Drinking Strategy later this year. The second round will be widely advertised in the national press and in rural and regional newspapers. The application kit will be available at www.health.gov.au/tenders or via email communitylevelinitiative@health.gov.au

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Alcohol Treatment Guidelines for Indigenous Australians

The Alcohol Treatment Guidelines for Indigenous Australians (the Guidelines) and associated resources are an evidence-based, user friendly resource, written for Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who work in a broad range of community and health care settings.

The Guidelines are designed to assist general practitioners, drug and alcohol workers and health professionals to understand issues regarding alcohol consumption, patterns of drinking and related risks to health and wellbeing and assist them to manage alcohol-related problems with their Indigenous clients and families.

For more information regarding the Alcohol Treatment Guidelines for Indigenous Australians email indigenous.alcohol.policy@health.gov.au

Copies of the Guidelines can be ordered through National Mail and Marketing on (02) 6269 1000 or via email health@nationalmailing.com.au Alternatively you can download the document by clinking on the link below.

Alcohol Treatment Guidelines for Indigenous Australians