Youth club resource tackles sensitive issues

Public Health England developed Zones, a board game, with the aim of helping youth workers facilitate conversations with children and young people about sex, alcohol, smoking and drugs.

The game, designed for children and young people from age 11, engages players in a variety of challenges against other teams, including team-building activities and discussions.

The aim is to encourage children and young people to think about the consequences of their actions without normalising the issues.

It has been designed especially for youth clubs, where youth leaders will be on hand to provide support and advice on the topics.

Ann Hoskins, director for children, young people and families at Public Health England, believes youth clubs are a safe space for children and young people to speak openly about the issues.

She said: “Research shows that getting young people to talk often about issues – like sex, alcohol, smoking and drugs – helps prepare them for better decision making in adulthood.

“We have developed the Zones game to help facilitate those discussions in youth group settings – places where we know young people join in these conversations and are more likely to listen to advice.”

Jules Hiller, deputy chief executive of sexual health charity Brook, welcomed the launch of the game.

She said: “Young people tell us that they want to have conversations with people they trust about tricky topics but that can be difficult to start.”