We consider the important links that exist between culture and alcohol consumption and the meanings and practices that have been adopted from previous generations.

Youth identity is constituted through consumption practices, representation and the transference of symbolic meaning. Through consumption practices young people create micro-cultures that shape their identity and status in relation to others. In a context of rapid and constant social change it is argued that young people experience stability through the creation of consumer identities.
McCreanor, (2005), Youth identity formation and contemporary alcohol marketing p.253

Our speakers will take a closer look at the specific patterns and prevalence of drinking, the role of culture, consumerism, youth, technology and social networks, leisure and lifestyle and the impact of government legislation. 

The presentation will include strategies for engaging clients, creating change and managing alcohol dependence.

About the Speakers 

Prof Ann Roche

Ann is Professor and Director of the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University. Previously she was the Director of the Queensland Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre (QADREC) at the University of Queensland for five years. She has over twenty five years experience in the field of public health and has worked as a researcher, educator, and policy analyst in various public health areas and has held academic posts at the University of Sydney, the University of Newcastle and the University of Queensland.

For the past 20 years her interests and professional activities have focused exclusively on alcohol and drug issues. She has published extensively in alcohol and drug and related public health areas, including over 100 papers and reports including several book chapters. In addition, she has worked as a temporary consultant to the World Health Organization, undertaken numerous consultancies for government and non-government bodies and has acted as an adviser on a wide range of committees in the alcohol and drug field. She has developed numerous educational programs and resource materials, including a course in Addiction Studies delivered in distance education mode and offering eight separate alcohol and drug-related subjects, the Queensland Needle Availability Training package, which contains an award winning video, a training program on Smoking and Indigenous Australians, a National Needle Availability Training Package and a comprehensive program designed for frontline workers dealing with alcohol and drug issues.

Sandy Dunn 

Sandy is employed in the position of Senior Project Officer/Senior Social Worker at Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA).  Sandy is a Social Worker who has worked at DASSA for almost 24 years.  In her years of work at DASSA Sandy has worked in a variety of roles involving a combination of clinical and community development work.

Sandy has extensive experience providing 1:1 counselling to clients and their significant others experiencing issues related to alcohol and other drug use.  She has also developed and facilitated a number of group programs including parent support programs and programs for young people at risk.

Sandy’s work in community development has been with a number of priority populations including youth and aboriginal communities as well as culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

For the past 3 years Sandy has been working in the role of Senior Project Officer Population programs.  In the first 2 years she worked with cultural communities (in particular African communities) in relation to managing AOD issues within cultural communities. In the past 12 months Sandy has been employed on a project which aims to encourage the Primary Health Care sector to engage in alcohol-related screening and brief intervention.
 

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