P.A.R.T.Y Program
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital’s Trauma Service commenced the Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) Program in 2010 to educate high school students aged 15-19 years about the potential consequences of alcohol and risky behaviour. The P.A.R.T.Y. program was established in Ontario, Canada in 1986. It aims to promote injury prevention by engaging young people through reality education. Participants spend a full day with various specialities at the hospital, meeting the people that care for trauma patients – paramedics, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Through DVD, PowerPoint presentations, interviews with patients and families and simulated clinical scenarios, participants are exposed to the painful journey of a trauma patient. They learn about traumatic injuries and have hands on experience with some of the equipment used in trauma care and rehabilitation. At the end of the day, participants meet a trauma injury survivor. The injury survivor speaks of the choices and events that had led to their injury and how their lives have changed as a result of the injury.
In 2013, RBWH developed a modified P.A.R.T.Y. Program that is delivered to a larger number of students in the school environment. This is assisting with getting the P.A.R.T.Y. message out to more Queensland students. Since 2014, RBWH has successfully expanded the program to now include numerous hospital sites around Queensland. In 2014, Nambour General Hospital commenced, this program has now moved to the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH). In 2015, the program commenced,running at the Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH). 2016 saw the biggest year of expansion so far,with programs commencing at Princess Alexandra,Hospital (PAH), Gympie Hospital,,Rockhampton Hospital, Toowoomba Hospital and Logan Hospital. All these programs,enable more schools to experience the,program outside of Brisbane. Negotiations,are currently underway to commence P.A.R.T.Y. at Mackay Hospital, Cairns Hospital,and Townsville Hospital in 2018. The,RBWH P.A.R.T.Y team have also taken the,program to rural and regional areas of the state and will continue to do this in the future. RBWH remain the holders of the P.A.R.T.Y. multi-site licence and all administration and booking of programs is done through RBWH.
Students who have taken part in the program said that personal stories of preventable tragedies had shocked them into thinking more carefully about their own choices. To see first-hand what the program is like through a student’s perspective please click here to watch a video showing a small part of the program day.
RBWH Foundation and the Trauma Service are especially grateful for the financial generosity and partnership of The Department of Transport and Main Roads and AAMI who have recognised the long-term benefits of educating our youth through preventative measures to change behaviours that may save lives in the future. If we can save the life of one young person or one young adult and prevent a family going through major traumatic experience, we believe we have achieved our goal.
RBWH Foundation welcomes both of these organisations on board and encourages your enquiries as to how you can be part of this critical youth education program.
P.A.R.T.Y. program is an initiative of RBWH Trauma Service. To support the P.A.R.T.Y. program please call 07 3646 7588 or click here. To contact the P.A.R.T.Y. Program Office please call 07 3646 1591.
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