Injury Matters recently #connected with Jo Woodruff, Team Leader – Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Community Prevention from Holyoake, to learn more about the work and projects Holyoake does to support alcohol and other drug prevention and injury prevention in regional communities.
Jo leads a team of Community Engagement Officers across 5 regions in WA to support community groups to design, implement and evaluate grassroot community-led AOD prevention activities.
What projects are you currently working on?
The AOD Community Prevention Service promotes and supports community-led initiatives across 5 of WA’s regions, including Kimberley, Mid West, Goldfields, Great Southern and South West.
The prevention service focuses on establishing multiple Community Response Committees in each of the regions, providing annual grant funding to support the development of local AOD prevention activities.
Some of the AOD prevention activities we currently have underway include:
- Dry July Quiz Night – Great Southern
- 16 Days in WA Family and Domestic Violence prevention poster program – South West
- Community Connections and Support video project – Kimberley
- Mullewa Bin Sticker project – Mid West
- Development of Community Crisis Care packs in Esperance – Goldfields
- Greenough Regional Prison FASD prevention music and art projects – Mid West
- Esperance Pride promotional activity – Goldfields
How do you see injury prevention projects evolving over the next 5 years?
I think there will be a continued focus on incorporating lived experience and local knowledge into prevention programs. This is a vital component as it ensures ownership, ‘buy-in’ and community engagement. However, it takes a significant amount of time and resources, which can be challenging to manage. I also believe AI will start to play a bigger role in how prevention programs are developed, as well as how we utilise social media to get our messaging across.
What is the biggest challenge you see facing the injury prevention space?
Injury prevention activities, particularly in regional areas, rely on community members and local stakeholders to support initiatives so we can incorporate local knowledge into program development. However, regional service providers are often understaffed and overworked, while community volunteers are stretched across multiple groups, leaving limited capacity and time to support primary prevention. Finding local champions willing to be involved in AOD prevention, particularly when alcohol use is such a significant part of Australian culture, is also very challenging and often results in too much work being placed on too few people. As a result, primary prevention is often deprioritised in favour of more acute programs, despite evidence showing it provides better value for money.
How can people engage and connect with the work being done by Holyoake?
Our Community Engagement Officers are keen to work with proactive communities that are interested in doing small, localised activities aimed at reducing the risks and harms associated with alcohol and drug use. The Community Engagement Officers can be contacted through Holyoake’s website and the AOD Community Prevention Service. Holyoake.org.au
Connect with Industry
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