What is P.A.R.T.Y.

The Prevent Alcohol & Risk-related Trauma in Youth Program (P.A.R.T.Y.) is an innovative program that draws on the experiences of trauma professionals and trauma survivors to educate young people, by showing them what can happen when they make a risky decision.

The Program focuses on preventing accidents before they happen by giving secondary school students real-life experiences in the emergency and trauma units of your local Hospital.

The Program features doctors, nurses, emergency workers and allied health professionals who volunteer their time to tell their stories in the hope that they can help reduce the incidence of trauma.

P.A.R.T.Y. was started in 1986 at Sunnybrook Medical Centre in Canada by Emergency Nurse Joanne Banfield. It was developed in response to the over representation of young people in trauma presentations to the Centre’s Emergency Department. The P.A.R.T.Y. Program operates in 125 sites around the world. If you would like to learn more about the original P.A.R.T.Y. Program you can visit their website at: www.partyprogram.com or by searching P.A.R.T.Y. Program on social media.

In Australia, trauma is responsible for 40% of deaths in 15-25 year olds. Many more youths are disabled from injuries sustained from trauma situations.

Data collected across Australia shows that trauma involving 15-25 year olds is still on the increase. Much is preventable, as it is often the result of a toxic combination of alcohol and/or drugs and risk-related behaviour.

Unlike other programs, P.A.R.T.Y. takes place in a hospital, not a classroom. The Program enhances the experience for participants, and leaves a significant and lasting impression of the consequences of risk taking behaviour and the trauma that can result.

This one day event seeks to effect a change in young people, and ultimately reduce the incidence of preventable traumatic injury resulting from risk-related behaviour.