Alcohol and Safety
Education Resource
Aim: To give students the opportunity to explore alcohol and safety.
Christian Initiative in Calderdale Schools (CICS), Halifax Street Angels and
Christian Nightlife Initiatives (CNI) Network have come together to create this
educational resource that can be delivered in Schools, Youth Groups, College,
Uniformed Organisations or to groups of young people. This pack includes
activities, discussion points and practical illustrations to be used to highlight
the effect that alcohol has on young people.
It is easy to deliver and challenges young peoples perceptions on a topic that
effects their lives. Pick and chose which material you use depending on
relevance and time.
Alcohol and Safety
Education Resource
Aims of Resource:
Contents:
Page 3
Ice Breakers
Page 4
Page 5
Alcohol Unit Calculator
Alcohol Unit Calculator with units worked out and Game Idea
Page 6
Page 7
True or False Quiz - Answers
True or False Quiz - Worksheet for handing out
Page 8
Decision Making
Page 9
Page 10
Case Studies
Case Studies
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Impact of Alcohol on a Person - completed
Impact of Alcohol on a Person - with clues
Impact of Alcohol on a Person - blank (no clues)
Page 14
Dynamic Risk Assessment Scenario
Page 16 - 20
Drink or No Drink Game
Page 21
Sample Lesson Plan
Page 22
Helpful Contacts
Page 23 - 34
Clock numbers for printing
Page 35
Education Resource Information
Ice Breakers
The M & M / Smarties Game: For this game you will need a few
bags of regular M & M or Smarties sweets. You will want to pass
the bag around and tell each person to take a handful but not to
eat them until you say that they can. Once everyone has got a
handful of sweets they will then need to share one alcohol related
fact for each sweet they have (then they can eat the sweet!). The
facts can be as simple as “Carling is a type of beer, alcohol is a
depressant, and alcohol can help you to relax”. Encourage good
as well as bad things about alcohol. Young people to then share
some of these facts with full class.
Typical Binge Night: Hand out Alcohol Unit Calculator (page 4 this will need to be explained and ask for 2 or 3 volunteers with a
calculator to calculate units) and the numbers 1-12 (pages 2334). Arrange the numbers in a circle to represent a clock.
Ask for a volunteer (the teacher may be happy to do this) and
hypothetically talk trough a night out drinking using your volunteer
as a visual aid. Engage the class as much as you can.
Start at 7pm and talk about the drinks your volunteer is
consuming. Add up the units on the board (so a lager is around 2
units). As time elapses ask your volunteers to move round the
clock. After 2 hours you need to take one unit off and then one unit
every hour to show units that the liver is processing.
In this scenario demonstrate a heavy night and show that the
effects of alcohol can often last through the night and into the next
day (talk about driving, taking medication for the headache, going
to work, etc)
Memory Game: Put out objects on a tray (may be related to topic
i.e. types / bottles of alcoholic drinks, could include unit amount of
each drink?) and people have to list all that was on theirs after
only looking for 30 seconds, bonus points for descriptions.
Other option of power-point with various alcohol drinks and units
and ask students to order drinks by unit amount in 60 seconds.
Alcohol Unit Calculator
Work out the Units in any alcoholic drink:
Strength (ABV) x Volume (ml) ÷ 1000 = Number of Units
Drink
Volume
Lager - Carling, Guinness
568ml
4%
Strong Beer - Heineken, Kronenbourg
568ml
5%
Alcopops - WKD, Smirnoff Ice
275ml
5%
Cider - Crabbies, Magners, Strongbow
568ml
5%
Shots - Vodka, Gin, Smirnoff
25ml
40%
Wine - standard glass
175ml
12%
Champagne
125ml
12%
Strong Cider - Diamond White
275ml
7.5%
Vermouth - Martini, Cinzano
50ml
15%
Shots - Whisky, Brandy, Dark Rum
35ml
40%
Strong Beer - Budweiser, Stella
568ml
5%
Cream Liqueur - Baileys
50ml
17%
Sherry
50ml
17.5%
Jagermeister
35ml
35%
Good Advice:
Strength
%
= Units
2.3units
Recommended Units are 3-4 units a day for a man; 2-3 units a day for a
woman. Every unit of alcohol contains 56 calories!
If you overdo it, give your body a day of two to recover.
These guidelines are for adults - there’s no known safe level of drinking
for under 18’s. Everyone’s alcohol tolerance level is different.
Alcohol Unit Calculator
Work out the Units in any alcoholic drink:
Strength (ABV) x Volume (ml) ÷ 1000 = Number of Units
Drink
Volume
Lager - Carling, Guinness
568ml
4%
2.3 units
Strong Beer - Heineken, Kronenbourg
568ml
5%
2.8 units
Alcopops - WKD, Smirnoff Ice
275ml
5%
1.4 units
Cider - Crabbies, Magners, Strongbow
568ml
5%
2.8 units
Shots - Vodka, Gin, Smirnoff
25ml
40%
1 unit
Wine - standard glass
175ml
12%
2.1 units
Champagne
125ml
12%
1.5 units
Strong Cider - Diamond White
275ml
7.5%
2 units
Vermouth - Martini, Cinzano
50ml
15%
0.75 units
Shots - Whisky, Brandy, Dark Rum
35ml
40%
1.4 units
Strong Beer - Budweiser, Stella
568ml
5%
2.8 units
Cream Liqueur - Baileys
50ml
17%
0.85 units
Sherry
50ml
17.5%
0.9 units
Jagermeister
35ml
35%
1.2 units
Game Idea:
Strength
%
= Units
Hold up different bottles / cans of alcohol from the list above. The first
person / group to correctly give the Units amount is given a point (with
prize at end) or handful of sweets.
It may be worth highlighting that every unit of alcohol contains 56
calories (even more in carbohydrate drinks such as beer and wine
and more still in creamy liqueurs or sugar-sweetened drinks).
True or False Quiz - Answers
On your own, in pairs or small groups have a look at the statements below. Answer true or false for each
statement and include the reason for your answer - we will go through the answers afterwards.
1)
You can always sleep off a hangover and feel all right the next day.
FALSE. Hangovers can last for a lot longer than just the morning after. Advice for adults is that after a lot
of alcohol has been consumed, they shouldn't drink alcohol for another 48 hours to let the body recover.
2)
It's impossible to know how much alcohol is in a bottle of drink.
FALSE. The amount of alcohol is usually shown on the drinks container, but you can calculate it yourself.
(Unit Calculators next activity)
3)
A glass of beer, a glass of wine and a shot of spirits contain the same amount of pure alcohol.
FALSE. It depends on the size of the glass, the strength of the drink (e.g. there are strong beers and
weaker beers) and how full the glass is.
4)
Eating a meal before drinking alcohol stops a person from getting drunk.
FALSE. Eating before drinking slows down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, but doesn't
stop it.
5)
Drinking plenty of water may reduce the effect of a hangover.
TRUE. Many of the effects of a hangover come about because alcohol dehydrates the body. There is no
cure and waiting until it has gone is the only thing you can do. However, drinking plenty of water and
keeping off alcohol for at least the next 48 hours helps the body to recover.
6)
People are more likely to take risks after drinking alcohol.
TRUE. Alcohol affects judgement so, after drinking alcohol, people tend to have fewer inhibitions and this
can lead to risky behaviour.
7)
People who drink a lot of alcohol on a regular basis may become tolerant, and even addicted, to it.
TRUE. Someone who regularly drinks an excessive amount of alcohol may have to drink even more to
get the same effect, and this can lead to addiction.
8)
Women tend to be more affected by alcohol than men.
TRUE. Alcohol is distributed around the body in water. The female body has more body fat and less water
than the male body, so alcohol concentrations are higher in females and therefore girls tend to get drunk
faster than boys.
9)
Pregnant women are advised to limit the amount of alcohol they drink.
TRUE. Alcohol crosses the placenta and can harm the developing foetus. This is called FAS (Foetal
Alcohol Syndrome)
10)
The excessive consumption of alcohol carries health risks.
TRUE. If someone drinks a lot in a short space of time they can increase the risk of accidents and injury.
In high doses it can result in alcohol poisoning, leading to coma or even death. In the long term, drinking a
lot of alcohol can lead to numerous diseases, such as cancer and liver cirrhosis. These can be fatal.
True or False Quiz
On your own, in pairs or small groups have a look at the statements below. Answer true or false for each
statement and include the reason for your answer - we will go through the answers afterwards.
1)
You can always sleep off a hangover and feel all right the next day.
2)
It's impossible to know how much alcohol is in a bottle of drink.
3)
A glass of beer, a glass of wine and a shot of spirits contain the same amount of pure alcohol.
4)
Eating a meal before drinking alcohol stops a person from getting drunk.
5)
Drinking plenty of water may reduce the effect of a hangover.
6)
People are more likely to take risks after drinking alcohol.
7)
People who drink a lot of alcohol on a regular basis may become tolerant, and even addicted, to it.
8)
Women tend to be more affected by alcohol than men.
9)
Pregnant women are advised to limit the amount of alcohol they drink.
10)
The excessive consumption of alcohol carries health risks.
Decision Making
This part of the session will help students to
realise that although we are all perfectly
capable of making poor decisions when
sober, having too much alcohol in our
system can mean that we make decisions
that we wouldn't usually make in normal
circumstances. We will also explain that we
still have to live with the consequences of
decisions we make whilst under the
influence of alcohol.
This debate/discussion will explore how we
make decisions when we are under the
influence of alcohol about…
Road safety
Spiking
Drugs
Possessions, theft etc.
Sexual experiences Who with and your own safety
Route home
Injury
It may be good to give examples of how a
local project has helped people in these
situations.
Case Studies
Print and separate the 5 case studies below. Ask each group to read the scenario (all true) and ask
them to debate the following questions:
Who is in danger?
What caused that danger?
What did the Street Angels do to help?
What were the consequences if the Street Angels didn’t help?
What could the long term affects to the person and their family and friends be?
What other lessons can be learnt for you from this scenario?
The Street Angels helped a woman who was passed out
in a Halifax town centre nightclub. After she had come
round the doorstaff had carried her to the entrance. She
was drunk and not making much sense! We decided
she didn't need an ambulance and simply needed a taxi
home. We found her home number on her phone called
and spoke to her mother who said she would wait for her
and pay the taxi fare. We got her into a taxi (making a
note of the taxi number). A few weeks later she emails to
say she could not recall how she got home she found
our card on her person the day after and her mother
confirmed Street Angels had helped her. She decides to
stop drinking she realises at 33 she has spent all the
money she has earned in 16 years on alcohol she lived
for the weekend and nothing else. Through her doctor
and Alcoholics Anonymous she admits her problem and
successfully stays clear of drink.
A young lady is out clubbing with her friends she loses her
handbag her phone, purse, ID, bank cards all gone. As she
wanders off around the club looking for it her friends move on to
the next club. Suddenly she can't find them or her bag coming
outside she accepts help from a friendly lad the lad becomes too
friendly and she becomes frightened. A passing team of Street
Angels hear her story, though the lad is adamant he is her
boyfriend. They see the fear in the girl and take her to the safe
place cafe the Street Angels go into the club and find the bag
under the seat where she was sat! All contents safe reunited with
friends and contents...
Midnight and an elderly lady wandering in the town centre. Street
Angels ask if she is ok and she says yes but we follow just in case.
Police are contacted as we are worried for this ladies safety. In the
bus station she is sat waiting for the next bus which is in 8 hours
time but she is convinced it is lunch time. She knows she has to get
to a neighbouring town but doesn't know where she lives. She is
agitated upset the bus is not arriving and we are telling her it is
12.15am! The police call back she is missing from home 2 bus rides
and 18 miles away the police take her home...
Group out for a night in Halifax from
Stockton one January the coach is picking
them up at 2am from the place it dropped
them off. 2.50am they are wandering round
town asking “have you seen my coach?”
decide it probably left on time! They need to
find extra money and wait for the first train
back to Stockton a cold night of waiting on
the station platform and possibly a loss of a
job for one of them as they need to be in
Stockton for work at 9am...
A young lad turns up at the cafe alone and
covered in sick. Street Angels sit him outside as he
spends the next hour throwing up into sick bowl
after sick bowl. We find his mobile, clean it up, and
trace some of his friends they come for him and
on the third attempt we find a taxi driver willing to
take him with sick bowls and bin bags as a
precaution!
Impact of alcohol on a person ...
Skin Too much alcohol dehydrates the body, which
is bad news for the skin and complexion. It also
dilates the blood vessels under the surface of the
skin, leading to ugly veins on the nose and cheeks.
Head After a few drinks, it can be easy for someone to
lose their head. They may feel more relaxed,
emotional and uninhibited, but they also lose control.
Their judgement is affected too. They might make a
fool of themselves, get into trouble, cause an accident
or do something they regret later. Every year 22% of
accidental deaths are alcohol related. Alcohol draws
water out of the brain. So, as the body starts to
metabolise the alcohol, the drinker may feel dizzy, and
be in for a throbbing headache if they drink too much.
Heart Drinking large quantities of alcohol over a short
period can cause irregular heartbeats and shortness
of breath. The government guidelines also suggest
that for post-menopausal women and men over 40
when the risk of heart disease is highest, a daily drink
can help protect against cardiovascular disease as
alcohol 'thins the blood'.
Liver The liver breaks down most of the alcohol a person drinks. (The rest
leaves the body in breath, urine and sweat.) But it can only break down
about 1 unit (8g) of alcohol an hour in an average adult. More than that and it
stops working properly. If the body can't cope with all the alcohol in its
system, the person falls into an alcoholic coma (which can be fatal). Longterm heavy drinking kills off liver cells, leading to a disease called 'cirrhosis'.
It's a 'silent' disease symptoms may not be noticeable until the disease is
advanced. Long-term excessive drinking can also lead to liver cancer.
Brain Alcohol acts as a depressant on the brain, the
control centre of the body. It can make the drinker feel
happy for a little while, but that's followed by a
depressing low. Long-term drinking can kill off brain
cells and lead to memory loss and mental problems.
Eyes Alcohol dilates blood vessels in the eyes, so they can look
red and 'bloodshot'. It also affects the signals sent from the eyes to
the brain vision becomes blurred and distances and speeds get
harder to judge. Many road accidents involve drivers or
pedestrians who have alcohol in their blood. Too much alcohol
also suppresses REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. It's the most
important phase of sleep so drinking can ruin the chance of a good
night's rest.
Waist Although alcohol is fat free, it is very calorific (only
fat contains more calories per gram) and increases your
appetite, so it can lead to weight gain.
Gut
Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach into the
bloodstream. Your body's ability to process alcohol depends on
various things, like your age, weight and sex. Your body breaks
down alcohol at a rate of roughly one standard drink per hour.
Because it takes time for your body to break down alcohol,
drinking more than one unit of alcohol an hour will build up your
blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and it may be many hours
before you are safe to drive. After a night of heavy drinking you
risk being over the drink drive limit the next morning.
Reproductive Organs Drinking alcohol can affect performance
in the bedroom because the drinker's not fully in control of their
body. Alcohol affects judgement too, so people may have unsafe
sex, or sex they later regret. In women excessive may delay
menstruation and effect fertility. As alcohol crosses the placenta
to a foetus, you should not drink if you are pregnant.
Impact of alcohol on a person ...
Brain
Skin
Eyes
Head
Waist
Heart
Gut
Liver
Reproductive Organs
Impact of alcohol on a person ...
Dynamic Risk Assessment Scenario
You are a 'team leader' in a Street Angel project patrolling a main street in the town at 1am on a cold
February morning. The area is generally quiet, with not many people about.
As you pass by a recessed shop doorway you see a lightly clothed female, about 20 years of age, sitting
on the floor sobbing. She is holding a half-full bottle of an alco-pop type drink in her left hand, and has her
right hand up to her face, covering her eyes.
Describe how the team will engage with the female.
Points to Consider:
1.
Team Safety Initial verbal contact from a distance and note response before considering closer
proximity (is she verbally or physically aggressive, what is she doing with the bottle?)
2.
Team Safety One member to approach initially, with other(s) observing surroundings (is a
'boyfriend' likely to return and present a threat?); and make an initial threat assessment
3.
Victim Safety 'Contact' volunteer to ascertain what has happened (has she been assaulted,
abused, consumed too much drink or taken drugs; is she covering an injury with her hands?)
4.
Victim Assistance Is ambulance or police attendance required? Are there any other public
service referrals necessary (homeless, domestic abuse, mental health consider Social Services)?
5.
Victim Assistance Basic first aid necessary? Need for a 'space blanket' to keep her warm?
6.
Victim Assistance What can we do to help, and what help is she prepared to accept (is there a
responsible friend or family member we can contact? Would she benefit from returning to the 'safe haven'
of the café base to recover her composure and wait to be collected? Does she need a taxi, and if so what
means does she have to pay the fare?)
7.
Adult Safeguarding Are there any issues revealed during the contact which dictate them being
reported to the project manager and/or other agencies (and what might these be)?
8.
Disengagement What further assistance does the victim need is she in need of continued care
by a responsible person? Provide with a leaflet explaining the project, so she knows who has offered
assistance.
9.
Dynamic Risk Assessment At what times within the 'contact' is an assessment of risk to both
the victim and the volunteer being made, and who is making these assessments?
Drink or No Drink Game
Fun, snappy, interactive game based roughly on “deal or no deal”.
You will need 22 boxes / bottles (plastic) / envelopes with the following money / points equivalent
amounts:
1p, 20p, 50p, £1, £5, £10, £25, £50, £100, £250, £750
£1,000, £3,000, £5,000, £10,000, £20,000, £25,000, £35,000, £50,000, £75,000, £100,000, £250,000
Each box / bottle / envelope contains a consequence of alcohol or safety using up to date facts. The 1p
box contains the most negative consequence and the £250,000 contains the most positive (see below
and templates are provided).
1p
20p
50p
£1
£5
£10
£25
£50
£100
£250
£750
- Death from drinking too much alcohol
- Serious illness from a night out
- Liver failure from a lifetime of excessive drinking
- Minor illness after a night on the tiles
- Stand on broken glass as you take your shoes off that are hurting
- Fall over and injure your knee and ankle
- Day off work due to a massive hangover
- Need help and assistance from the Street Angels
- Spend all your months wage on one night out
- Arrested as you are drunk and disorderly
- Taken to A&E in an ambulance
£1,000
£3,000
£5,000
£10,000
£20,000
£25,000
£35,000
£50,000
£75,000
£100,000
£250,000
- Meet the man / woman of your dreams on a night out
- Have a great night out with friends
- Help a friend who drank too much to get home safely
- One glass of wine a day is good for your heart and health!
- You do some fundraising for charities working with alcohol related issues
- You volunteer as a Street Angel
- You put yourself on the Organ Donors Register
- You leave your car at the pub and get a taxi or bus home
- You go on a night out and don’t drink so you can be the taxi for your friends
- You get help for someone you see in trouble in town
- You save someone’s life
The aim of the game is to follow the deal or no deal model:
Twenty two players, one host and one banker
One player is chosen from the twenty-two players
The one player needs to request to open the other twenty-one boxes / bottles / envelopes
The banker can make up to four offers to swop boxes / bottles / envelopes of the player with others
The aim is to have a large amount in your box / bottle / envelope at the end of the game
The facts are read out as the game goes along by the player holding the box / bottle / envelope.
Once finished the player is given a prize proportionate to the amount that the player is able to accumulate
(eg penny sweet, chocolate bar, tube of Smarties, £1, box of chocolates...)
1p
20p
£1,000
£3,000
50p
£5,000
£1.00
£5.00
£10.00
£10,.000
£20,000
£25,000
£25.00
£50.00
£35,000
£50,000
£100.00
£250.00
£750.00
£75,0000
£100,000
£250,000
1p
20p
50p
£1.00
£5.00
Death from drinking too much alcohol
Serious illness from a night out
Liver failure from a lifetime of excessive
drinking
Minor illness after a night on the tiles
Stand on broken glass as you take your
shoes off that are hurting
£10.00
Fall over and injure your knee and ankle
£25.00
Day off work due to a massive hangover
£50.00
Need help and assistance from the Street
Angels
£100.00
Spend all your months wage on one night
out
£250.00
Arrested as you are drunk and disorderly
£750.00
Taken to A&E in an ambulance
£100,00
Meet the man / woman of your dreams on
a night out
£3,000
Have a great night out with friends
£5,000
Help a friend who drank too much to get
home safely
£10,000
One glass of wine a day is good for your
heart and health!
£20,000
You do some fundraising for charities
working with alcohol related issues
£25,000
You volunteer as a Street Angel
£35,000
You put yourself on the Organ Donors
Register
£50,000
You leave your car at the pub and get a
taxi or bus home
£75,000
You go on a night out and don’t drink so
you can be the taxi for your friends
£100,000
You get help for someone you see in
trouble in town
£250,000
You save someone’s life
Sample Lesson Plan
Preparation:
Print off enough sheets for class
Print off clock and case studies
M&M’s / Smarties
Know length of lesson, age group, ability, etc
Have visible resources - eg bottles of alcohol, Street Angels tools, etc
Welcome from teacher / leader
Introduction to those taking the lesson and the projects represented
Split the class into 5 teams of around 5 / 6 students
M&M / Smarties game give 2 min's and ask for 1 person from each group to feedback
Hand out Alcohol Unit Calculator sheets and explain formula
Typical Binge Night - encourage students to work out units, note units consumed on board
True or False Quiz in groups, run through answers and reasons with full class
Effects of Alcohol on a Person - let students fill out the blank worksheets in their groups then go
through the answers to let them feedback some of the problems that too much alcohol could cause with
their bodies.
Decision Making or Case Study - in groups with discussion as a full group afterwards
Drink or No Drink Game - make it fun and keep the game moving quickly
Share about the work of Street Angels / local project - encourage young people that if they drink to stay
safe, to know the reality of too much drinking, to watch friends and what you drink (maybe talk about drink
spiking) and to always know how they will get home from a night out drinking. End on a positive note!
Dynamic Risk Assessment Scenario - spend a few minutes discussing the scenario and the risks that
need to be thought about when helping someone in this official capacity
May be worth asking the students what they think the Christian perspective on alcohol and drinking is:
Communion - wine represents / becomes Christ’s blood
John 2:1-11 - Wedding at Cana
Ephesians 5:18 - ‘Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery.’
1 Corinthians 6:12 - ‘Everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial’
Some Christians don’t drink at all, some in moderation, others enjoy the clubbing scene - no definitive.
Thank students and teacher!
Things to know:
Recommended daily units for men and women
Alcohol Unit Calculator apps on Smartphones
Local numbers / places for alcohol advice
Any other agencies working in school around alcohol
Helpful Contacts
Alcoholics Anonymous:
24hour helpline - 0113 245 4567
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Call It A Night:
www.callitanight.co.uk
Resource around young people and alcohol
Drinkaware:
www.drinkaware.co.uk
Alcohol facts
Drinkline:
0800 917 8282
Freephone advice and support for people with alcohol problems
NSPCC:
24hour helpline - 0808 800 5000
Advice and support for children and young people
NHS Direct:
24hr medical advice - 0845 46 47
Samaritans:
24hours helpline - 08457 909090
Street Angels - CNI Network:
www.cninetwork.org.uk
Includes a list of our local projects and further help links
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Education Resource Information
This pack is Copyright (C) Christian Initiative in Calderdale Schools
(CICS) and Street Angels - CNI Network. Page 14 is (C) Stockton
Town Pastors and A Way Out.
For information on these organisations please visit:
www.cicscalderdale.org.uk
www.cninetwork.org.uk
The web site for the education resource is:
www.angelresources.org.uk
For more information on use of this resource please contact Tony
Buck (CICS) on 07879 675368 or Paul Blakey MBE (Street Angels CNI Network) on 07725 501465.
Funding for this education resource was given by Community
Foundation for Calderdale - www.cffc.co.uk and our thanks to them
for making this resource happen.