Director and founder of Drug and Alcohol Research Training Australia (DARTA), Paul has been visiting King's College for the past four years.
This year he spoke to students in Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13. Paul's overall key message was around keeping themselves and their friends safe, but for each year level his focus was slightly different.
For Year 11 students it was about safety, for Year 12 students it was about drinking as well as marijuana, and for Year 13s it was around drink driving, other drugs and their effect.
He also spoke to the staff at King's, and on the evening of Thursday, 31 March he gave an hour and a half presentation to over 70 parents on drugs and alcohol, covering the history of teenagers as a cohort and information readily available in brain development and maturity. He also gave current New Zealand statistics on drinking and drug use across different ages, and those who supplied alcohol.
Paul also included demonstrations of skill sets for parents to use and a sound theory around the most effective parenting style; authoritative with warmth, making it very clear that it was the parents' responsibility and obligation to keep their children safe.
It was an absolute pleasure to have Paul visit the College, and we look forward to welcoming him back next year.
