YPDAAT will be promoting Men's Health Week in June 2019. This is a time to bring awareness to health issues that affect men disproportionately and focuses on getting men to become aware of problems they may have or could develop, and gain the courage to do something about it. If you’re a young man that wants to do more, or a partner/parent that wants to inform a young man you love about it, then get spreading the word! The more well-known the week becomes, the more young men will feel like it’s OK to talk about their health issues and not just push them to the side and ignore health problems away!
Please visit https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk for more information.
Safer St Helens are cracking down on underage alcohol sales. Buying alcohol for under 18s is illegal and can land you with an unlimited fine. Shops selling alcohol to under 18s, or to adults they suspect are giving alcohol to under 18s are liable to fines, and can end up losing their licences.
Of course the consequences of underage drinking can be much greater for young people. Although we know more and more young people are choosing not to drink, those that do are at risk of both long and short term harms.
Some of the risks associated with adolescent drinking are:
Young people tell us they drink because 'that's what everyone does at weekends'. However the earlier young people start drinking alcohol, the greater the risk for harm in the future. In St Helens we have some of the highest rates in the country for alcohol related harm in our adult population, and recent data shows we have the highest rate of under 18 admissions to hospital linked to alcohol use.
We need parents and the community to support us to address some of these issues. We are asking parents to take the ACE Pledge; to
YPDAAT and Safer St Helens are asking members of the public NOT to buy alcohol for children and to report any issues around underage sales to Trading Standards. Click the link to find out more.
St Helens Young People's Drug and Alcohol Team (YPDAAT), provide young people and their families in St Helens with a range of interventions to help them to make informed choices around drug and alcohol use in order to achieve their full potential.
Despite what you might think, most young people chose not to use drugs or alcohol. Of those that do most young people will grow out of this without any issues.