Description

Multicomponent community interventions have evidence for effectiveness in reducing youth alcohol use. They typically include community mobilisation, brief messaging, media coverage of youth harms, alcohol education to youth and parents and underage alcohol sales compliance checks. Communities That Care Ltd supports the Smart Generation program, which offers all these components. The Smart Generation program aims to increase parent and adolescent awareness of and compliance with the NHMRC (2020) guidelines for safe alcohol use. The program components include community mobilisation workshops, brief messaging materials targeting parents and youth, underage alcohol sales compliance checks, media releases, and school lesson plans (where feasible).  

Evaluation Evidence

An Australian community randomised trial (Rowland et al, 2022, Prevention Science) demonstrated that the Smart Generation components implemented by Communities That Care coalitions were effective in increasing youth intentions not to use alcohol until the legal age. Community rates of underage alcohol use were also reduced by 10%. 

Monitoring Recommendations

Communities That Care Boards that have evidence that alcohol is being sold and or supplied to minors can implement this strategy including underage alcohol sales monitoring. Communities That Care Ltd can provide training, resources and implementation monitoring guidance for all components of the Smart Generation program.

Conflict of Interest

Note John Toumbourou wrote this review and led the Deakin program development

Contact: 

For further information and advice on community implementation of one or more of the Smart Generation program components:

Dr Bosco Rowland

CEO, Communities That Care Ltd

 bosco.rowland@monash.edu.au