Sport used to tackle alcohol harm among teens

Cumberland Council's Spark programme aims to use sport to teach teenagers about alcohol and addiction

A new scheme will use sport to teach teenagers about the dangers of alcohol and addiction.

The pilot programme, called Spark, also hopes to tackle vaping, peer pressure, mental health and improve leadership skills through sports-related creative learning.

Spark will launch in September and will be organised by the Cumberland Alcohol Partnership, which is managed by Cumberland Council.

Justin McDermott, the Labour-led council's portfolio holder for public health and communities, said the scheme would reframe alcohol education as "empowering, peer-led and fun".

"We know both grassroots sport and the influence of others can be incredibly influential in young people's lives and choices," he said.

"We need to tap into that influence and meeting them 'where they are' could be a ground-breaking model."

'Wasted potential'

Role models will be recruited from local sports clubs to lead the sessions and they will be trained to support and continue the work after the scheme ends.

The Spark scheme will also include an alcohol-free match day event.

If the programme proves successful, it is hoped more funding will be granted for further work such as campaigns created by young people, school events delivered by Spark graduates, an ambassador programme and further alcohol-free match days.

"We have to find ways to challenge the norms of underage drinking - the negative results of which can be health issues, anti-social behaviour, lower aspirations and wasted potential," McDermott said.

"I believe Spark's different approach - working in partnership with young people, using role models and leveraging their existing connections with community sport - could be transformational."