Fixing young lives

Samantha Gann, Matt Zietsch, Paige Russell and Nikayla Tolhopf all took part in the recent ‘Life Fix’ day.

A PROGRAM prepared by students, for students, is having a strong local impact on the way young people think about drugs, alcohol and mental illness.

'Life Fix', a special event hosted last week by Community Services Welfare students at Wollongong TAFE, was based around a hands-on, fun approach, and proved a big hit among the high school students who took part.

One of the participants, Corrimal High School Year 10 student, Paige Russell, spoke candidly to the Wollongong and Northern Leader about the temptations faced by young people in the present day, and the value of education and awareness.

According to Paige, high school students take drugs or drink excessively to look 'cool' or mature.

“They do it for stupid reasons and peer pressure,” Paige said.

“I hope none of my friends take drugs.”

TAFE students spent months preparing for the big day, which included a range of activities to help educate young people about the realities of drugs, alcohol, mental health and health in general.

Paige said the initiative was a different way of approaching what were sometimes sensitive topics.

“It's pretty fun and it's teaching us heaps about not taking drugs,” Paige said.

“You learn more here.

“At school you don't go up and pretend you're at a party and (here) you actually want to learn because it's fun.”

One of the organisers of the event, TAFE student Rebecca Unicomb, said binge drinking was “very much part of the Australian culture” and said one way of changing that culture was by showing young people they can have fun without drugs.