- Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death for NSW youth aged 16 to 24.)
- The program takes students from emergency admission through to rehabilitation.
- Attendees showed a 27% drop in behaviors linked to spinal and head injuries.
- The P.A.R.T.Y. Plus+ model can now deliver up to four sessions per week in schools.)
Every year, thousands of young Australians make decisions that change their lives in an instant. For those aged 16 to 24, unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in NSW, accounting for 88% of all fatalities in this age group. It’s a confronting reality and one that shows just how important prevention is.
More than 200,000 young Australians are admitted to emergency departments each year due to preventable trauma.
Behind every number is a life forever changed, a family impacted, and a future that may never look the same.
The P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) Program is changing that story.
Delivered by trauma clinicians at Royal North Shore Hospital and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital, the program offers an immersive, evidence-based experience that takes young people through the real-life journey of a trauma patient – from emergency admission to surgery, intensive care and rehabilitation.
It’s a powerful education experience that stays with you.
Designed for students aged 15 to 25, the program brings the consequences of risk-taking into sharp focus – from alcohol and drug use to reckless driving and peer pressure. Students hear directly from doctors, nurses and trauma survivors, gaining a powerful understanding of how quickly a single decision can have lifelong consequences.
“The P.A.R.T.Y. Program helps students understand the ripple effect of their choices,” says Renee Peard, Nurse Manager at the Trauma Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital. “By giving them the tools to recognise potential injury-producing situations, they can develop strategies to make safer decisions and minimise unnecessary risk.”
Teachers are seeing the impact. Many local high school teachers have highlighted the importance of the program being free and accessible, especially for at-risk students. While not every student can attend, those who do share what they have learned, spreading awareness through their peers and communities.
The results speak for themselves. Evaluations show a 31% reduction in not wearing seatbelts and a 27% drop in behaviours linked to spinal cord and head injuries – clear evidence that the program is changing attitudes and saving lives.
Now, the opportunity is to reach even more young people.
With demand continuing to grow, there are plans to scale up the P.A.R.T.Y. Program across NSW. The expansion to the mobile P.A.R.T.Y. Plus+ model means sessions can now be delivered directly in schools, with capacity for up to four each week. Building on the success of the original program, P.A.R.T.Y. Plus+ is set to make an even greater impact on the safety and wellbeing of young Australians.
But this growth depends on philanthropic support from the community.
Through the NORTH Foundation charity, donors can help bring this to more schools, more communities and more young Australians.
Because the most powerful way to change behaviour is not to tell young people what could happen – but to show them.
And in doing so, help more young people make it safely into the future.
To donate to the P.A.R.T.Y. Program go to: P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) Program.
