One of the young people at our youth club was buying alcohol for the younger teenagers. I told him to stop. He reacted badly and now does not attend sessions, but still meets up with the younger members and continues to buy them drinks if they ask. What should I do?
It is essential to work with both sets of young people. The dangers and health risks in using alcohol are probably unlikely to deter them. It seems that challenging the emotive and perhaps social triggers might be more useful. Drawing on the older boy’s more mature position in the area or club could give him a sense of social responsibility; also broach the concept of being a role model. You might also suggest that passing on substances to underage people is illegal.
Perhaps the younger ones are bored or frustrated and there might be something the club can do to motivate them – what would they like to be doing and is this something you could help with?
Don’t forget to talk to local shop-keepers, so that they know that they are facilitating underage drinking.
Answered by Tracie Trimmer-Platman, senior lecturer in youth and community work at the University of East London
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