The perspectives of young people on their use of alcohol and risks at school leavers festivals

Schools leavers festivals (SLFs) are common across Australia. The SLF is an organised event where young people go to celebrate the end of their schooling. Past research has shown that school leavers often drink alcohol as a form of celebration during this time. This paper presents the findings from a study undertaken to explore the way in which young people prepared to minimise and/or be free from alcohol-related harm at the Adelaide SLF, in South Australia. Data was generated through the retrospective accounts of 38 young people during seven separate focus groups. Our study demonstrated that young people did not access health information to minimise alcohol-related harm. However, the data gained showed that young people plan what type of alcohol they intend to drink and who they are going to drink alcohol with to celebrate the SLF. This study highlights the great length that participants went to planning and budgeting for their purchase of alcohol. For participants in this study peers were people that they could trust. As well as valuing peers, on-site volunteers, mainly made up of other young people, were also valued in supporting their health care needs at the SLF.