The main goal of the multimedia alcohol prevention campaign was to change parenting patterns in relation to alcohol. Parents were given a new message: Say ‘No’ to alcohol before the age of 16. Alcohol use at a younger age can lead to poor performance at school in the short term, and in the long term it can have a detrimental effect on brain development.

Part of the campaign targeted prevention workers. They too needed to be re-educated. Before this they had promoted the message to introduce children to alcohol in a safe environment. The reasoning was that if children became familiar with alcohol at home, they would learn to drink sensibly. However, in practice this did not work. Teenagers interpret the first drink at home as permission to carry on drinking elsewhere. For this reason, numerous information sessions were held to introduce prevention workers to the new prevention strategies.

For the national campaign, the Trimbos Institute developed appropriate materials and media – from TV ads to websites, from billboards to brochures. For example the website www.uwkindenalcohol.nl (your child and alcohol) was set up to support the parent information evenings. The website contains facts about alcohol, parenting tips, and suggestions for how to deal with dilemmas that parents may encounter in setting limits.

In addition, the Trimbos Institute targeted active volunteers in sports associations, in order to challenge them about alcohol policy in sports centre canteens. For this purpose, various kinds of specific prevention material was developed and offered with training for volunteers to learn to say ‘No’ behind the bar.

In collaboration with the parenting magazine J/M Pubers, an alcohol special was published. In November 2008, this mini-magazine was sent with the regular publication to all subscribers. Its central message was that parents should actively intervene where alcohol is concerned. Parents who tacitly permit their child to drink are really encouraging even more drinking.