Leading voices unite to combat underage drinking at roundtable

AWARE.org hosted a pivotal roundtable discussion on Friday, 26 July 2024, focusing on the critical issue of underage drinking in South Africa. The event, held at GIBS Business School, involved representatives from key sectors who engaged in a collaborative dialogue aimed at finding effective solutions to combat underage drinking in our society.

Representatives from government, educational institutions, community organisations and the alcohol industry engaged in discussions about the factors contribution to data revealing that approximately19.9% of young people report having their first drink by age 13. A stat that highlights the severity of harmful behaviours by South African youth.

The dialogue was insightful and constructive, offering a platform for stakeholders to share insights and best practices, and develop actionable recommendations. These recommendations can be implemented by various entities and individuals to positively influence the under-18 population.

Mokebe Thulo, Head of Brand at AWARE.org, emphasised the importance of collective effort in tackling this issue, which constitutes the association’s flagship #NOtoU18 initiative.

"Underage drinking is not just a problem for the youth as it impacts their academic, physical and social progress and wellbeing. This is a societal issue that requires the whole of society to act as champions – including us because we are members of our communities. This roundtable was an important step in bringing together diverse perspectives to develop sustainable solutions that will protect and empower our youth."

Pamela Nkuna, Corporate Affairs Director for Africa & Middle East at Pernod Ricard and a director on the AWARE board, added: "We need more than one model to deal with this issue as we are dealing with human beings who are all unique. To create lasting change, we need to understand the root causes of substance abuse through research and implement targeted strategies to address them. It's about finding and applying the best practices tailored to each person's individual needs and social context."

Shireen Hassan, Deputy Director of Substance Abuse & Gender-Based Violence at the Department of Social Development, stated: "The situation does not have an easy solution; the dynamics in families and communities are complex and there is a sense of helplessness felt by the youth that causes them to turn to alcohol. We need more from communities; we all need to come together to help. If your community thrives, your society thrives, your culture thrives. Alcohol abuse is a generational issue that we must break. To do this, we need to keep our youth engaged with more recreation centers, after-school programmes, and sports facilities. We need to do much more, and we need to act now."

During the event, participants discussed the challenges of underage drinking and explored various strategies to address these challenges, including:

• The essential role of families and communities in preventing underage drinking.
• The effects of community issues spilling over into schools, such as violence and risky behaviours.
• The necessity for young people to have positive role models and mentors as they seek guidance.
• The generational gap, where older generations who look after a lot of the youth may not fully grasp modern social dynamics such as social media and peer pressure.
• The importance of keeping children actively engaged to prevent them from turning to alcohol.
• The role of media and advertising, with the alcohol industry following strict advertising guidelines. Concerns about advertisements can be addressed by the Advertising Regulatory Board.
  

The roundtable also highlighted the importance of an all-of-society approach, where young people are viewed as active agents in the conversation about underage drinking. It was emphasised that everyone can be a mentor, and mentors need adequate support to guide the youth effectively.

Anthony Meyers, Director at Gauteng Department of Education, remarked: "It takes a village to raise a child, so how we all pull together and provide that environment, that blanket of support for learners, for our schools and educators that are struggling, it's all hands on deck. The positive and constructive ideas shared today will go a long way in making a significant impact."

The roundtable provided role players with information about AWARE.org’s #NOtoUnder18 programme, partnerships with four community-based organisations that implement preventive and therapeutic interventions and the current multimedia intervention, Makers of Tomorrow.