NEWS Sport is the key for our teens
AUSTRALIA needs to adopt a radical European plan that could wipe out teenage drug and alcohol use by getting kids into sport instead.
A similar program in Iceland, which saw every child given a €400 ($650) voucher to cover the cost of joining a sports or activity club, almost solved the country’s teenage drug and alcohol problems.
By keeping kids busy and supervised by adults after school, the program limits the time available for kids to use illicit substances.
It is understood funding for a similar initiative in Australia will be unveiled this week.
In NSW, school-aged children can already collect an Active Kids voucher worth $100 every six months to spend on sport or other activities.
Rates of cannabis use among Australia’s teens have nearly doubled in recent years.
The Australian Local Government Association received a presentation about Iceland’s program at its National General Assembly in Canberra.
Iceland’s Planet Youth program director Jon Sigfusson told the conference alcohol abuse among teens had plunged by 83 per cent after it adopted the program.
“In 1998, Iceland was the worst in Europe for 15-16-yearolds in alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use and 20 years later we are the lowest in Europe,” Mr Sigfusson said.
The proportion of 15- and 16-year-olds who got drunk plunged from 42 per cent to just 7 per cent in Iceland, cannabis use dived from 17 per cent to 6 per cent and smoking rates fell from 23 per cent to just 2 per cent.
Providers of leisure activities have to be registered and meet criteria that includes having trained providers and a good facility.
If low-income families can’t afford the dancing clothes or sports gear, the government helps towards those costs.
Participation in the activities is enormous – 99 per cent of 6- to 9-year-olds take part, while 87 per cent of kids aged 14 and 15 and 69 per cent of 15and 16-year-olds also take part.
Alcohol and Drug Foundation chief executive Dr Erin Lalor said in Australia, the Federal Government was already funding 244 Local Drug Action Teams but there was no national funding for leisure activities for kids.