A recent study on schoolies behaviour patterns confirms general perceptions about what young people do during the week long “celebration” at the Gold Coast. However it also revealed that many young people don’t regard it as a positive experience but do it because it is considered the social norm and there are no other alternatives.

Chief executive Michael Thorn called on government, local councils and schools to invest money in alcohol-free alternatives to schoolies.

“‘If we make alcohol readily available, market it heavily and design celebrations around its excessive consumption then people are going to drink to excess … kids learn that you work hard and then you celebrate your successes by drinking to excess.”

”We should be working with kids and schools around self-esteem and building the skills to say no to alcohol and to think of other things that you can do, the skills to identify other things that you can do to mark becoming an adult that don’t necessarily involve excessive amounts of drinking,”

via Schoolies get what they want: booze and risky sex.