Red Frogs Australia Chaplaincy Network
I inform the House about an outstanding Christian ministry that is one of the few initiatives successfully challenging the culture of binge drinking in Australian high schools and colleges, residence halls and meeting places of the young: the Red Frogs Australia Chaplaincy Network.
The Citipointe Church in Brisbane founded the Red Frogs in 1997 to help protect students during Schoolies Week, which is underway this week. They are now considered by many State government offices of crime prevention to play a vital role in managing the 17 annual school leavers-schoolies festivals celebrated across Australia, providing an excellent service, offering community concern, emotional support and a wholesome example. The Red Frogs do not proselytise but concerned young people from local Christian churches present a program of outreach.
The Red Frogs have been successfully reducing crime and improving community safety during schoolies celebrations by working in partnership with other State and non-governmental agencies. For instance, it was estimated that last year they protected over 4,000 young Western Australians from harm by providing 24-hour pastoral care, outreach support and diversionary activities at major accommodation sites.
There is no other volunteer group providing this level of support during the celebrations and it is filling a crucial need in the community. Every year 1,500 community volunteers are involved with the Red Frogs. The Red Frogs have greatly assisted the National Association of Australian University Colleges, the peak organisation for tertiary students living on campus.
The Red Frogs have assisted that organisation by creating a safer drinking environment and offering practical alternatives to drinking, which has made a very positive impact in fighting the culture of binge drinking. Each year the Red Frogs offer educational pre-schoolies programs that are targeted to students in years 11 and 12.
The Red Frogs Year 11 Party Safe Seminar deals honestly with issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, high school dating and relationships, depression and the alternative schoolies locations that are provided for Schoolies Week. The Red Frogs Year 12 Schoolies Seminar is targeted specifically at school leavers and informs students about what really goes on at Schoolies Week, arming them with information and advice they will need to make wise choices and set appropriate boundaries for themselves during their celebrations.
Each of the seminars is presented by enthusiastic and experienced local Red Frog representatives, who are able to empathise with the students and are not afraid to point out the sometimes painful pressures and realities of teenage life. For example, this week on the Gold Coast they have a presence on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, and frequently post safety tips like, “don’t be afraid to say no”, “stay in well-lit areas”, “tell your friends where you are going”, “drink plenty of water”, “alcohol makes you less aware of danger” and “how to avoid drink spiking”. They publish a 1300 phone number to offer a Red Frog escort during the Gold Coast schoolies celebrations so partiers can get from place to place safely.
The Red Frogs are helping to change the destructive attitude of needing to drink in order to have fun, throughout university colleges and halls of Australia by running non-drinking social gatherings. The Red Frogs make themselves available Australia-wide within colleges and residential halls and in almost every social event that is organised there.
Whether it is as simple as catering an event for non-drinkers or helping to keep drinkers safely hydrated, fed and looked after, the Red Frogs have been on hand to assist students. According to the Alcohol and Drug Information Service, alcohol abuse costs the Australian community about $15 billion each year, when factors such as crime, violence, treatment costs, loss of productivity and premature death are taken into account.
Working against that cultural setting, the Red Frogs are acknowledged by various authorities as having an impressive impact on the drinking culture. With their assistance the number of alcohol-induced fights, suicides and hospitalisations has been dramatically reduced. With the terrible cost to young people, personally and socially, from the near ubiquitous use of alcohol, I am impressed that the Red Frogs are really getting out on the streets and assisting young people with concern and compassion.
As we go into this year’s school leavers’ celebrations over the next few weeks I wholeheartedly support the work and commitment of the Red Frog Chaplaincy Network to the wellbeing of young Australians.