Under the Influence? Alcohol Discussion Kit

An ‘alcohol discussion kit’ has been developed to encourage citizen-led discussions about alcohol use and risks. The idea is to promote discussions among groups of citizens about alcohol and to prompt ideas about how to reduce the harms associated with it.

Under the Influence? was developed by Our Life, in partnership with NHS North West and NHS Western Cheshire, and was published during Alcohol Awareness Week 2012.

This kit is based on the findings of the Talking Drink: Taking Action - Ellesmere Port Alcohol Inquiry

Using it

The kit is made up of four main sections - an instruction booklet, a set of story cards, a set of influencer cards and a planning grid.

Through the use of a set of cards, groups can consider a range of opinions before suggesting what they think is the best course of action. The kit can be used in groups of up to 10 people or as few as three and allows people to lead their own deliberative processes in whichever venue they like, with whoever they want to.

The kit is available as a free download, and the downloads have been designed in colour as well as black and white to facilitate photocopying.

The publishers suggest that, having downloaded the material, the next step is to find a group of people to use the kit with. This could be a group that meets already, for example, a residents group or staff from a workplace or any other group; or it could be a group of friends or family; in fact anyone that may have an interest in discussing alcohol.

They say that the kit does not need a trained facilitator to lead it. However, it is useful if someone in the group takes on the role of the ‘dealer’. It is best if the ‘dealer’ looks through the kit before the group gets together (this will take only 5-10 minutes).

More information and the Discussion Kit itself can be downloaded from: http://www.ourlife.org.uk/ourlife/en/case-studies/the-ellesmere-port-alcohol-inquiry--talking-drink-taking-action/