Children in Crisis’ Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Media Project

 In January 2009 d:side embarked on a media project with a group of students from Southwark College to make a short film about drugs and alcohol.  The film will be part of a teacher resource pack that can be used in drug and alcohol education lessons for years 7 and 8 in secondary schools in the borough.

d:side has run 3 interactive and engaging workshops with the students to develop their ideas for the film.  They have worked in ‘filming teams’ of 3 students per team, with each student having their own job and responsibilities.  On Saturday 25th April, Children in Crisis held the main filming day at Southwark College Waterloo Campus, which was a great succes.

On Thursday 2^nd July Children in Crisis held a screening event to launch the new d:side film, ‘What are we smoking in this room?’.  Click here to learn more about the completed film.

Case Study: Abu Mukid – A student from Southwark College

My name is Abu Mukid, I am a student currently studying media, film and business studies at A2 level at Southwark College.  Outside of college I volunteer at my local youth centre (REPA) where I run and coordinate youth nights for the local under-privileged youth in and around the Rockingham estate in Southwark.  I regularly arrange for drugs and alcohol advisors to visit these youth nights.

I got involved in the project that d:side and Children in Crisis made me aware of via the links they have at my college.  One of the main reasons I got involved was to make young people aware of what dangers theses illegal substances may cause and how it may affect them in the future; I have experienced and seen first hand the damage drugs and alcohol can do to a young person, be it physical or mental or both in many cases.  I have seen and worked with many young people that have been heavily influenced by drugs such as Crack/Cocaine, Heroin, Speed, Crystal Meth, Legal Drugs and many others that fall in all the classes of drugs available.

Saturday 25th April 2009 was a day to remember!  It was the first time I got to work with someone from the BBC and I feel I gave something to young people in and around Southwark.  My tasks involved firstly setting up the location to interview Nicola Jones from Re-Solve.  I chose to film in our college medical room as I thought this was a perfect location to talk about the affects solvents have on the body.  I cheekily put a full skeleton model in the shot to connote death which could lead from just one time abuse of solvents.  Filming was plain sailing and our interviewee was very knowledgeable and good at explaining her points.  I was also in charge of the sound. 

It gives me great joy and happiness that young people will benefit from watching the DVD which may allow them to make positive steps in their lives.