In UK, new initiative to tackle alcoholism in Punjabi community

LONDON: Following a three year programme that highlighted the issue of alcoholism in the Punjabi community and improved access to support services, new guidance on dealing with alcoholism in the Punjabi community has been published in the United Kingdom.

A first of its kind initiative, called the Shanti Project, was launched in 2016-19. IT was led by charitable organisation Aquarius that supports people affected by alcohol, drugs and gambling. The guidance has been developed by Aquarius with the University of Birmingham and the Manchester Metropolitan University.

Co-author of the guidance, Surinder Guru of the University of Birmingham, said: “Drinking within the Punjabi community is gendered. Heavy drinking is a common practice among men but women’s drinking is frowned upon. This creates tensions in families and women can suffer rejection and shame within the community and family.”

“The original research underpinning Shanti showed that young Punjabi people had noticed this unequal treatment and deemed it unfair. We need to pay attention to women’s drinking and the impact of men’s drinking on women and children within the Punjabi community,” Guru added.

The guidance offers advice on setting up projects, developing a project model, project management, project delivery, as well as useful resources, the University of Birmingham said in a release on Wednesday. It also details best practices on how to work productively when providing services that address alcohol use within south Asian communities in general, and the Punjabi community in particular.