Smashed Project
15th Jun 2020
The SMASHED Project is a nationwide tour of New Zealand’s secondary schools aimed at equipping year 9 and 10 students to make safe decisions around alcohol.
Launched in the UK in 2005, the SMASHED Project was developed by Collingwood Learning, a world-leading education company, and addresses the dangers of underage drinking and seeks to reduce alcohol-related harm in young people.
SMASHED uses social cognitive theory, live theatre and interactive workshops to engage secondary school students (Years 9-10) in learning about peer pressure, relationships and the dangers of consuming alcohol. Young audiences follow three characters and witness how they become involved with alcohol and how it affects their lives. Interactive workshops enable students to understand the vulnerability of the adolescent brain to substances such as alcohol, discuss strategies for managing peer pressure and making positive choices.
Annually SMASHED was delivered to more than 200,000 students from 23 countries around the world by Collingwood Learning and its delivery partners.
The programme launched in New Zealand in May 2019 with an extraordinary uptake from schools. Each year SMASHED is delivered to over 90 schools across New Zealand reaching over 20,000 students. The initial season was extended to accommodate the 94 schools wanting the programme and we reached more than 20,000 students in the first year.
After taking part in the programme:
- 70% of students surveyed said they thought SMASHED was a good way to learn about the risks associated with underage drinking
- 91% saying they’d wait until 18 to try alcohol for the first time
- 93% of teachers surveyed said their students have learnt more about the dangers of underage drinking than they knew before
- 99% of teachers said it was important that programmes like Smashed Project visited schools – with 92% saying they would like the programme to return to their school.
To find out more about Smashed Project, go to: www.smashed.org.nz