About P.A.R.T.Y. Queensland

The prevent alcohol and risk related trauma in youth program P.A.R.T.Y. is a dynamic interactive health promotion program for youth aimed at promoting injury awareness and prevention strategies through reality-based education. It enables participants to recognise and thus minimise risk, whilst making informed choices about their risk-related behaviour and activities.

The program aims to reduce traumatic injuries in young people by providing teenagers with trauma-related information enabling them to:

  • recognise potentially risky situations
  • make prevention orientated choices
  • adopt behaviours that minimise unnecessary risk.

With the help of our hospital and community partners – Health Professionals, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Police Service, and trauma-survivors – we deliver an immersive journey through the hospital from the perspective of a trauma patient.

Participants get hands on experience with some of the equipment used in trauma care and rehabilitation, whilst learning about the impacts of traumatic injuries from professionals who deal with traumatic events regularly and gain valuable perspectives from those who have been affected by trauma, by meeting a real injury survivor. The program encourages participants to explore the dynamic relationship between choices, risk and injury.

Youth (ages 15 to 24) is often described as a period of transition from the dependent child and an independent adult. In this stage of life, we are vulnerable to peer pressure and popular culture, as well as more inclined to experiment, push boundaries and take on risk. Australian data indicates trauma involving this age group is still increasing. Many of these traumatic events are preventable and are often sustained through the toxic combination of alcohol and/or drugs with risk-related behaviour.

Traumatic injury is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Australia’s youth. Every year, trauma is responsible for nearly 460,000 hospitalisations due to a range of preventable mechanisms. Road trauma is still one of the most prevalent causes of mortality and catastrophic injury in young people. One of the primary prevention strategies in this age group are education programs aimed at effecting behaviour change, assisting identification of risks, and making better choices.

young person about P.A.R.T.Y. image

Last updated: 7 December 2011