Spotlight: Engaging Eurobodalla’s young people

When more than 200 people showed up to a community forum to discuss concerns about methamphetamine use (ice) in the small town of Eurobodalla, Rob Richmond knew there was plenty of interest to form a Local Drug Action Team (LDAT).

Beginning with five members from local organisations in 2019, the Eurobodalla Cares LDAT on the south coast of NSW now has 29 members representing 27 organisations.

Rob, the Founding Chair of the LDAT, works closely with Janine Hutton, the Current Chair and Regional Manager of Campbell Page Indigenous, Youth and Family Programs, to create a better future for Eurobodalla’s young people and their families.

Together, they lead a community coalition focused on resilience and recovery of young people in their area.

The challenge

Eurobodalla’s concern for their young people’s wellbeing soared after the 2019/2020 summer bushfires and the COVID pandemic. The twin disasters hit the town’s youth hard, disrupting their natural supports and protective factors. Protective factors help to reduce the risks of alcohol and other drug harms in a community.

Janine said the community had seen an increase in homelessness, family conflict, disengagement from school, substance use and other mental health concerns as the stresses from the fires and COVID compounded for young people and their families.

“In our small towns there isn’t a lot of employment, and it doesn’t necessarily match young people’s skills or desires. There aren’t so many places for young people, and they can easily fall through the gaps.”

The response

Working with the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) the LDAT identified projects to help engage directly with young people who were facing complex challenges and provided connection, mentoring and support.

The PCYC Fit 4 Life early intervention program uses physical fitness, nutrition and social activities to engage young people who are at risk and provides education around healthy choices including alcohol and other drug use. The Fit 4 Work program builds young people's confidence and ability to seek and sustain employment.

The Eurobodalla LDAT (ELDAT) worked with 20 community organisations to develop 15 alcohol and other drug (AOD) information sessions to increase the community’s knowledge and awareness of alcohol and drug-related harms. It also focussed on how to increase protective factors to reduce these harms.

Protective factors can include connection with culture, community and family; engagement with school; employment and training; positive recreation activities and positive social activities.

The progress

The initiatives have helped young people make positive, healthy life choices.

Ninety young people participated in 360 sessions of the Fit 4 Life program over two years. And, the program increased 30 young people’s job-ready abilities through its 10-week skill building course.

Janine believes that from little things big things grow.

The team has partnered with further organisations on the Growing Stronger project with Communities that Care and Deakin University, which will use data from youth surveys of risk and protective factors to develop a long-term evidence-based response strategy.

Additionally, the LDAT acquired $300,000 Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Funding for the Growing Stronger Program. The LDAT was the only group outside of an NSW LGA to be successful in acquiring Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Funding from the NSW Government.

Janine is looking forward to working on a new parenting program module being trialed by the ADF and says that it’s been a great combination to work with the ADF as part of the Local Drug Action team program, as well as with Deakin University on the big picture.