Abstract
The Anti-Crash Operation was implemented in in response to a problem: road accidents are the highest cause of mortality amongst 12-25 years olds, and many accidents occur while returning from nightclubs. Indeed, nightclub and party organizers are becoming more aware of the problem and the need for action.
The operation uses peer to peer education. The volunteers are students recruited from different courses, specially trained, managed and evaluated by the professional team of Avenir Sante (8 health professional educators). The message is not against partying, but against driving risks. Our operation targets about 160 000 young French people each year within student parties in six French regions. In 2008, 520 volunteers were recruited to prevent road accidents after parties. Peer to peer education allows exchanges and discussions which are not moralizing. The messages have a real impact and responsible debates can be launched. Additionally, volunteers install a prevention stand at the entrance of the nightclub. The objective is to make young people responsible at the wheel. Volunteers talk in a very positive way taking into account all the risks associated with alcohol, cannabis and other drugs. They use prevention tools like bracelets (given to the drivers), breathalysers, simulation of alcohol on computer, flyers, brochures, and a cannabis game.
The evaluation shows a change of mentality on the road amongst novice drivers and youngsters (18-25 years old); many youngsters think how they will get home before going to a party, and use a designated driver.
Intervention details
The target group is 12-25 years.
Club owners, Media.
Volunteers install a prevention stand at the entrance of the nightclub. The objective is to make young people safe at the wheel. Volunteers talk in a very positive way, taking into account all the risks associated with alcohol, cannabis and other drugs. They use prevention tools like bracelets (given to the drivers), breathalysers, simulation of alcohol on computer and with glasses, flyers, brochures, and a cannabis game.
Peer to peer education allows exchanges and discussions which are not moralizing. The messages have a real impact and responsible debates can be launched.
This varies, depending on how the project needs to develop (for instance, in how many towns? in how many parties? targeting how many people?). In France it costs approximately 1 euro per night clubber targeted (so 160 000 per year). This cost takes into account the cost of volunteer recruiting, training, evaluating, coaching, materials, tools, and communication. Major resources include:
- Communication tools (flyer, brochure, poster, e-mailing, website) to recruit volunteers
- Material for the training of volunteers (one Saturday at the beginning of the student year, most of the time we need 2 or 3 other training sessions at the beginning of the year)
- Prevention tools (poster, breathalyser, drug test, and alcohol simulation on computer and with glasses, leaflets).
Evaluation details
- Volunteers training
- Feedback from organisers and volunteers after each party
- Number of actions and number of young people reached after each year.
The evaluation showed a change of mentality on the road among novice drivers and youngsters (18-25 years old); many youngsters think how they will get home before going to a party, and opt to use a designated driver. We also evaluated the impact of the action and the satisfaction of the organizer.
SWOT analysis:
- Strengths: Peer to peer education where risks are taken, after a party. Interactive tools which attract partygoers on the stand.
- Weaknesses: Heaviness of the project: recruitment and training of volunteers, purchase of prevention tools and information tools, search for parties, implementing actions, monitoring and evaluating, implementing communication, events to motivate the volunteers. Difficulty of recruiting volunteers and finding evenings with an ideal location for the intervention (entry and exit, passing partygoers, light)
- Opportunities: Financial support and priority of the state (open bar prohibited). Awareness of the importance of these actions and interest of the organizers in the evening.
- Threats: Need for funding. Theft of prevention tools. Some evening organizers can do these actions without prior training simply by distributing breathalyser-tests without added value of the volunteers and the stand.
