Highland Youth Action Service

A group of Highland pupils recently took part in a Highland Youth Action Service project in  Dingwall to help them prepare for the transition to secondary school after the summer holidays.

The event, which involved five young people making a Tin Man out of empty beer cans was organised by Sue Caldwell, Highland Council’s Substance Misuse Officer, with the Social Work Service, Ross, Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh Youth Action Team.

Sue has been working with the group over the summer term and through discussions with them identified that there was a need to develop a greater understanding on the physical and psychological long term effects of alcohol abuse and binge drinking.

The group then set about building a “tin body” made out of beer cans, and represented various human organs – the brain made with sponge, kidneys and heart with tissue paper and cardboard, veins with drinking straws, and hands made from rubber gloves. The group then prepared written information on the impact that alcohol has on these parts of the body.

Sue Caldwell said: “Sometimes we have to think of imaginative ways in which we can engage the imagination of some of our pupils. Behind the action of building a Tin Man out of empty beer cans there are serious messages that we are trying to get across to them.

“The issues that we are trying to address are offending behaviour (including all forms of anti-social behaviour); substance misuse; and support for our young people and their families who are affected by substance misuse.”

The Tin Man event is one example of the type of initiatives organised by Highland Youth Action Service which is an umbrella organisation including The Highland Council Youth Action Teams within Social Work Services; National Children’s Homes (mentoring scheme, Intensive Support Services / Intensive Support Monitoring Service, Positive Options Programme); Safeguarding Communities Reducing Offending SACRO (restorative justice programmes); and BLAST (drug information project).

The Youth Action Service works with young people between the ages of 12 – 18 years old and their families who have a problem with or are affected by substance misuse and / or offending behaviour.