School pupils in Bargoed took part in an alcohol awareness programme on Friday, October 18.
Around 250 Heolddu Comprehensive School pupils, aged between 11 and 13, watched a 30-minute play called ‘Smashed’.
The play followed the story of three teenagers and dealt with the consequences of alcohol misuse.
After the play, the pupils took part in an interactive workshop, where pupils discussed the issues raised in the play.
Assistant headteacher Mr Johnston said : “We feel it’s very important that we worked with external agencies and external companies to provide expert guidance for our pupils.
“The drama production is very high quality – it brings the story into life and we can see that pupils are highly engaged.”
Mr Johnston added: “In December we will work with our local police officers to additional session linked with alcohol misuse in the community. It is about being proactive and sharing the dangers of alcohol misuse. So as they become older teenagers, they are aware of the danger and how to act.”
Caerphilly MP Wayne David said: “Through my work in the Caerphilly constituency I am aware of the hugely damaging effects alcohol can have on people’s lives.
“Smashed is an innovative global project, aimed at young people, which highlights in a powerful way the negative impact alcohol can have on their lives and those around them, including family and friends.”
Caerphilly AM Hefin David said: “I am so pleased that young people in Caerphilly are being offered the chance to learn about the risks of underage drinking, especially as they approach becoming teenagers – with all the peer pressure that comes with.
“The Smashed project is an exceptional way of teaching. It replaces pens and paper with performance. Using the stage and interactive workshops to get children talking about these issues is clearly an effective approach.”
Smashed has already reached out to more than 700,000 pupils across the globe, with around 420,000 UK school pupils taking part in the project since it started in 2005.
The project developed by Collingwood Learning and sponsored by Diageo is expected to reach 45,000 school pupils across the UK this year.