Findings from a £1 million project to support ten key areas to tackle alcohol-related problems have been released by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG).
Not to be confused with the Home Office led Local Alcohol Action Areas (LAAAs), the ten main 'alcohol fund' areas were announced in 2012 as a two year project led by Baroness Newlove, the Government's Champion for Active, Safer Communities and pledged in the Government Alcohol Strategy.
Download the The Alcohol fund: end of project report slides [pdf]
The overall aims of the project were to 'develop sustainable community-based approaches to tackle problem drinking' and 'test innovative ideas' involving partnership approaches to:
- Education & awareness raising (incl. youth education work)
- Youth work – outreach & diversionary activities
- Youth work – targeted work for those already with alcohol misuse issues
- Targeting hardened drinkers / street drinkers
- Police led operations
- Responsible retailing of alcohol
- Night-time economy
- Better use of data / info-sharing
Expected outcomes according to the end of project report were a 'direct measurable reduction in anti-social behaviour' and evidence of partnership working. However the 2012 announcement also detailed outcomes including fewer A&E admissions, reduced consumption by young people and reduced proxy sales. The report does acknowledge 'accessing A&E figures has been an issue for some areas'.
Evaluation, evidence and effectiveness?
The report gives a summary of the activity undertaken in the participating areas as well outcomes (or output) data. The summaries capture a range of activity relating to the various work strand areas, with young people focused educational activities appearing the most common.
Critics of the project might be keen to point out the limited evidence to support education or awareness based approaches, as well as the sparse detailing of actual outcomes or 'innovative ideas which can be disseminated more widely'. Questions also exist over partnership working as a valid focus of activity in itself, and one might expect more of a report following £1million worth of activity (assuming there is nothing further to be released).
On the other hand, demonstrating the impact of alcohol action is indeed difficult, and work to support and engage young people may have broader value than just its possible impact on alcohol use. Activities to reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder too can be valid for addressing both actual or perceived levels of crime, whilst making local alcohol action happen does indeed tend to require partnerships and resources. The report identifies that the project kick-started local action in some areas and levered in extra funding in others.
However the project may still be prone to the same criticisms as the 2012 Government Alcohol Strategy that announced it; a heavy focus on crime and disorder and young people may be seen as alcohol policy influenced more by politics than evidence.
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