Formal Conversations
Formal conversations are more like deliberations where a group of persons discuss the reasons for and against a measure or solution. In this instance, three options (solutions) have been proposed around which the deliberation will occur. These include:
- Option One: Reach Children with Problems Early
- Option Two: Remove Access and Incentives; and
- Option Three: Help Chidren through Difficult Times in Development
These deliberations often end with some sort of follow-up action. Perhaps it is an individual parent/guardian who resolves to talk to their child about alcohol, or perhaps it is a group of individuals who want to band together to build or enhance community efforts designed to implement the proposed solutions. For more information on deliberations, visit the National Issues Forum website.
When organizing a formal conversation/deliberation/forum, the first thing to remember is that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Who would be interesed in the issue of childhood drinking and who might be willing to help organize a formal conversation:
- Librarians, parent associations, teachers, and school administrators are valuable sources of information about youth, peer groups, and youth trends.
- Service clubs, churches, and faith-based organizations are groups that cut across every facet of community life; partnering with them proves the odds of having broad and diverse participation.
- It is important to get views from people whose voices or perspectives are not often heard in public forums. Childhood drinking is an issue that affects families at all income levels, all races, and all ethnic groups. Recruiting participants from nontraditional settings, such as workforce training programs, English-as-a-second-language programs, GED workshops, and community colleges, may be good places to find individuals whose voices have not been heard on this issue.
- The media are the best sources of public advertising. Some public television stations and newspapers cover forums. Some newspapers have published issues in brief or issue maps which can be found in the “Engage” portion of wwww.alcoholfreechildren.org. Citizens can also write letters to the editor.
- Chambers of Commerce and members of the business community have been valuable assets in community enhancement projects.
The second thing to remember is that there are prepared documents to help you. The documents and resources listed below can help you make choices about this question: How could our community prevent and reduce drinking by children aged 9-15? They include:
Related Links to Videos on U-Tube about Childhood Drinking
