Celebrating Safety – Paul Dillon visits MLC School

Celebrating with friends is vital during adolescence, an adolescent brain is wired to seek independence and peer acceptance. Celebrating together is a great way to achieve this, create amazing memories and strengthen relationships. Having a good time does not have to come at the expense of our students’ health or safety. A safe socialising environment ensures everyone can make positive choices, have fun and avoid potential harm.

This term, we welcomed Paul Dillon who presented to Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12. Paul is a leading drug and alcohol presenter and founder of DARTA. Paul presents students with evidence based, relevant and accurate drug and alcohol education and information, equipping students with tools and strategies to make informed decisions regarding drugs and alcohol, devising strategies to help keep themselves and their peers safe when celebrating. Paul spoke to our students to help them understand issues around drugs, alcohol and social settings – and importantly ways to stay safe and take care of one another. He reflected on some of his discussions with the students when he spoke with parents in the evening.

Many parents braved the rain and cold to attend a P&F (Parents and Friends) Forum with Paul Dillon focusing on Alcohol, parties and gatherings. Paul canvassed much more than teenage alcohol use, covering the many other substances that are available, as well as vaping (usage is falling) and the emergence of smoking once again. Some of his statistics were alarming. The good news is that alcohol use is on the decline, with statistics indicating many teenagers do not drink at all.

Paul offered insight into the challenges teens face as their social life starts to grow; and shared many practical parenting tips on how to keep children safe while still allowing them to develop socially.  

This is Paul’s 16th year presenting at MLC School and his expertise makes him a well regarded partner in our pastoral care and parent information program.

Paul offers a wealth of resources on his website https://darta.net.au/ and parents are urged to refer to it as needed. Paul promises to answer every email and can be followed on social media.

We thank the P&F for their support for this important, ongoing initiative.

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