Background
National policy
REACT – Responding to Excessive Alcohol Consumption in Third-level
Methods/design
Stage 1: Intervention development
Identifying the evidence
Delphi consensus
Participants
Content analysis and expert consultation
ACTION POINT | DESCRIPTION | |
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1. |
All incoming students are strongly encouraged to take an online brief intervention tool
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A target of 33% of incoming first-year students to have completed e-PUB (or other brief intervention tool if already in place) must be met before a college/university/institute of technology is deemed to have achieved this mandatory action point. Statistics should be presented to a relevant college committee on an annual basis
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2. | A college alcohol policy is developed in line with the ‘National Framework to Develop a College Alcohol Policy’ |
Develop a college alcohol policy in line with the ‘National Framework to Develop a College Alcohol Policy’
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3. |
President of the college commits to the REACT programme
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Ensure that the President of the college (or equivalent management figure) signs a three-year commitment to the college actively pursuing the criteria set out by the REACT programme’s Action Point List
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4. |
A Steering Committee is formed, comprising staff and students, and chaired by a senior college official, with meetings taking place twice a year (minimum) and the Action Plan reviewed annually
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Form a Steering Committee which will:
a) Have student and staff representation b) Be chaired by a senior college official c) Have a member of the Gardaí, a member of the local council and a member of the Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Force as committee members d) Meet a minimum of twice a year e) Review the college Alcohol Action Plan annually |
5. |
Safety issues in the context of alcohol are considered while planning all large-scale student events
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Present and discuss an agenda item relating to alcohol and safety issues on the agenda of all SU, Student Society and Student Club meetings regarding large-scale student entertainment events at which alcohol will be available – for example, college balls, gigs and Raise & Give week
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6. |
A tracking and reporting mechanism is established for key alcohol-related harm indicators
| Establish a tracking and reporting mechanism that will track key alcohol-related harm indicators – for example, injuries, anti-social behaviour, harm to relationships, studies |
7. | The college completes its own evaluation of the effectiveness of the alcohol action plan every three years |
Devise and complete an evaluation strategy to monitor the effectiveness of the alcohol action plan every three years
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8. |
Relevant staff are trained in brief intervention
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Ensure that key individuals in student health and student experience are able to deliver brief intervention therapy around alcohol misuse and have a clear understanding of the internal referral pathways
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ACTION POINT | DESCRIPTION | |
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1. | A specific college official is designated with overall responsibility for the REACT project |
Designate a specific college official to have overall responsibility for the colleges’ REACT programme
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2. | A calendar of events is developed in conjunction with local Students’ Unions |
Develop a calendar of events in conjunction with local Students’ Unions which requires proactive planning
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3. | A reporting mechanism is developed to track high-risk promotions by local licensees |
Develop a reporting mechanism for tracking high-risk promotions by local licensees
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4. | The REACT Training Toolkit is used at class rep training to provide reps with relevant safety information | Use the REACT Training Toolkit (available via the WebApp) for a class rep training session annually with a special emphasis placed on safety
Invite to the training members of clubs and societies for whom this would hold relevance in event planning
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5. | An alcohol counselling service is available to students |
Provide an alcohol counselling service to the student body
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6. |
A meeting with local stakeholders is held annually
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Hold a minimum of one meeting annually with local stakeholders (for example, local Gardaí, local residents, local businesses) as a forum to discuss grievances and make suggestions related to students engaged in excessive alcohol consumption
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7. | A visible and accessible referral pathway to a range of internal and external alcohol support services for students is developed |
Develop a visible and accessible referral pathway to a range of internal and external alcohol support services for students
Include and promote a self-referral route for students as part of this pathway
Offer training and information relating to the pathway to frontline staff of the college every two years
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8. | Alcohol-free accommodation and alcohol-free social spaces are provided |
Provide alcohol-free accommodation and alcohol-free social spaces
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9. | Partnerships are developed with relevant local community groups |
Develop partnerships with relevant local community groups (for example, local councils, healthy cities committees)
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10. | Late-night transport to student accommodation is provided |
Provide late-night transport to student accommodation for college events/nights out
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11. | A Student Community Support system is developed and implemented |
Develop and implement a Student Community Support system for key student weeks (such as Raise & Give Week and Freshers’ Week)
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12. | Space for Alcoholics Anonymous is allocated |
Make contact with and allocate space for Alcoholics Anonymous to hold meetings for college students
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13. | Local licensed premises are mapped |
Map and update (every two years) all local licensed premises
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14. |
Training on Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA) is required for all campus bar staff
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Require RSA training for all campus bar staff
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15. | The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is used as the preferred measure of drinking patterns and alcohol-related harm |
Use the AUDIT scale when measuring drinking patterns and alcohol-related harm in health research projects focused on students
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16. | Robust alcohol-related qualitative research is conducted with students |
Conduct a high-level, alcohol-related qualitative research* project with students
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17. | A PhD/academic researcher is given access to conduct a study on the Action Plan |
Enable a PhD/academic researcher to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the interventions within the Action Plan
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18. | All of the relevant college data related to the Action Plan is provided to the National REACT co-ordinator/researcher |
Provide all of the relevant college data related to the Action Plan to the National REACT co-ordinator/researcher for inclusion in national research
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