This fall, student leaders from across Atlantic Canada including AV俱乐部, Saint Mary鈥檚 University, Mount Allison University and Acadia University, gathered at AV俱乐部 for the PEP-AH Atlantic Regional Symposium.
The聽Postsecondary Education Partnership 鈥� Alcohol Harms (PEP-AH)聽is a group of universities and colleges from across Canada, partnered with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) and Universities Canada, aimed at reducing harms related to alcohol by supporting nation-wide campus efforts.
顿补濒丑辞耻蝉颈别鈥檚 Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, modeled after the聽, aims to create environments where AV俱乐部 students can live up to their fullest academic, personal and social potential 鈥� free from harms caused by alcohol or substances.
A student-led symposium
Students from across Canadian colleges and universities are taking steps to collectively address the shared concern of reducing alcohol-related harms on campus. The annual PEP-AH Symposium provides students a space to participate in a regional discussion with their peers from other institutions.
The day at AV俱乐部 included a jam-packed agenda filled with sharing of ideas and lessons learned, and networking with peers. Student representatives left the symposium with new goals and action plans aimed at reducing harms from alcohol on their campuses. 聽
鈥淎ttending the PEP-AH聽symposium聽left me feeling inspired and motivated,鈥� said Faiza Nauman, AV俱乐部 student and Dal After Dark representative. 鈥淚t was a chance to engage with students from across different university campuses, exchange ideas and learn from聽each other. It left me feeling inspired and reminded me why the work of harm reduction is so important and how, as students, we can ensure that we bring the messaging and best practices to reduce these harms for all students on our campus."
Ongoing work and programming
Alcohol harm reduction has long been a priority of AV俱乐部. With the support of student leaders and volunteers, the university endeavours to equip students with information and resources on how to safely consume alcohol, and to provide alternative programming for students who wish to socialize in a setting that is alcohol-free.
AV俱乐部 has partnered with a student-led resource promoting responsible聽alcohol and cannabis consumption, personal choice and a culture of moderation.聽Keep it Social ambassadors empower students to reduce their risks and respect their limits. Keep it Social booths are often set up inside residences offering water and snacks during high-risk times, such as Halloween and St. Patrick鈥檚 Day.
Dal After Dark is a program facilitated by聽Dal's聽Student Life and Student Health & Wellness departments to provide AV俱乐部 and King's students with an opportunity to host fun and interactive聽events聽open to all. Silent discos, movies nights and archery tag are just a few examples of the great events offered through this program. Upcoming events can be found on their . Students can also apply for to host their own alternative programming event.
In addition, AV俱乐部 is also participating in the Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey (CPADS). The CPADS is a partnership between Health Canada and PEP-AH, and aims to measure alcohol and drug use among college and university students. The findings from this research will be used to develop more programs aimed at meeting students鈥� needs. The survey was sent to more than 3000 AV俱乐部 students earlier this month.