Case studies
Back to previous pageReal stories bring DAT's work to life
Real Stories Bring DAT's Work to Life
Name of project: CHILTERN FM RADIO CAMPAIGN
NDS theme: Young People/Prevention
Organisation/Region: Bedfordshire DAT, Eastern
Who funds it? Bedfordshire DAT (CAD funding)
Contact Name: James Morley
Tel/email: 01234 408051 james.morley@bedscc.gov.uk
Background/what the project does
The Bedfordshire DAT wanted to raise the profile of their work and also signpost young people to drug services in their area. They formed a partnership with Chiltern FM, a county-wide radio station, to run a 12 week promotional campaign featuring a series of 'infomercials' voiced by real local people telling real stories about their drug-related experiences.
The stories include Kacey, a 25-year old ex-heroin user; a mother whose son died of a heroin overdose; some local young people and members of the DAT themselves talking about their work. The campaign is supported by a website and a directory of services. There has been widespread local press coverage of the campaign, picking up on the real life stories. The DAT are looking at repeating the campaign to dovetail with the national 'Frank' campaign commercials in the summer.
What makes it different?
Similar approaches have been used by other DATs, but often with the voices of actors. This project follows evidence from other health promotion campaigns, on smoking and cancer, that shows young audience respond best to real life case studies.
The project has also formed a partnership with Chiltern FM which is now working with the DAT to run a series of 'club nights' in local night clubs to enable the DAT to reach young people with drugs awareness messages.
Quote
"We wanted to get people thinking and talking about drugs and alcohol issues, maybe even challenging their views. The infomercials go out between songs and so they stand out, they make people stop what they're doing and start talking about what they've heard because they're hearing real people who live in the same area as themselves. I have a friend who was in the hairdresser's when the infomercial came on, evryone in there stopped what they were doing, listened and then got to discussing drugs and alcohol"
