Wanaka Alcohol Group (WAG) will soon launch a series of community education presentations targeting parents and youth, and covering a range of topics from alcohol and peer pressure to social media and parenting strategies. 

The presentations have been made possible thanks to a grant of $15,000 from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) which will help WAG implement its 2020 community action plan which will also feature youth-led initiatives, media campaigns and longitudinal research.

WAG representative Bronwyn Coers said she was grateful for the funding, which will “significantly benefit efforts to reduce alcohol related harm in our wider community”.

The not-for-profit organisation is a grassroots group, formed in 2013, which aims to help community members make safe choices around alcohol and drugs.

This is the second grant WAG has received from the council and it’s twice as big as the last.

“We see this as an indication of QLDC’s recognition of our work and the increasing need for community-led initiatives that support healthier lifestyles,” Bronwyn said.

Bronwyn said the first presentation is currently being planned for term 3 in partnership with Mount Aspiring College (MAC) and Wanaka Police.

There are also youth-led initiatives underway, Bronwyn said, with the SADD group (Students Against Dangerous Driving) creating campaigns to raise awareness of the risks of driving under the influence.

WAG has brought a range of expert speakers to Wanaka for workshops, events and presentations.

Most recently WAG invited Rob and Zareen Sheikh-Cope for an informative talk on the risks young people are facing online, from pornography to predators and social media access.

Read more: The dangers of kids online

It also completed two reports on youth behaviour in Wanaka, with the most recent of the two ‘Harming Me, Harming You’, released in April.

Read more: Youth drug habits under the microscope in new report

Keep up to date with WAG’s events and activities here.

PHOTO: Supplied