School pupils see 20 years into the future

Students at John Kyrle High School are being given a peak into the future to see how they could look in twenty years time.

Professional make-up artists have been visiting the school's 14 and 15 year olds and making them up to illustrate how they could look if they abuse alcohol over the next 20 years. Their before and after photos will be used to show the gradual changes over the years, similar to television programmes which show the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle as a child grows into an adult.

Recent research has shown that alcohol-related problems are on the increase with this age group and above. With a culture of binge drinking regularly hitting national headlines, the council's youth service in conjunction with the school have come up with an alcohol awareness programme which promises to be hard-hitting, but fun too.

Youth workers are keen to work in partnership with the school and other professionals to make young people aware of the damage alcohol can cause, both in terms of behaviour and in terms of health and physical development.

120 young people from John Kyrle High School, Ross-On-Wye will take part in the programme which is funded through the Community Safety and Drugs Partnership. Each pupil will attend two sessions, the first of which will offer them the chance to see how they could look in 20 years time. During this session the young people will also be invited to wear beer goggles which give the wearer the illusion of being intoxicated, then try to walk in a straight line whilst being filmed.

There will also be other games which will concentrate on the effect of alcohol, not only on the young people but on others around them.

A representative from Alcoholics Anonymous will attend each of the follow up sessions to offer support and advice as the youth service team show the students some of the internal effects of alcohol using some hard hitting visuals.

"This promises to be an innovative way of getting some very important messages across to our young people," said Sharon Menghini, director of children's services. "Unfortunately, alcohol abuse amongst young people is on the increase nationwide, and we need to work together with others to reduce this trend, "she continued.

"The programme sounds like great fun and if successful, could be used in other parts of the county too," she continued.