Ben is new youth counsellor

Ben Hunt, 24, has been appointed as youth drug and alcohol counsellor at the Web Youth Service in Woy Woy.

Service coordinator Mr Dion Richardson said: "Ben is very enthusiastic and brings some great skills to the job.

"He's keen to engage with young people and establish their trust.

"He'll be counselling at both The Web and Brisbane Water Secondary College (BWSC) and is employed as part of the AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs) project which is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing."

Mr Hunt said: "I've worked at different youth refuges on the Central Coast and I'm involved with lifeline, a telephone counselling service.

"I'm also nearing the end of a psychology degree.

He said that he had been introduced to staff at both BWSC campuses and had addressed a student assembly and mixed with students at the Umina campus.

Mr Hunt said that he hoped students and youth would see him as "approachable" and aimed to put them at ease about the counselling situation.

"Cooperating with teachers in the identification of students at risk will be very important."

Mr Richardson said The Web offered drug and alcohol education, information, and counselling services to youth at both The Web and BWSC.

Counselling and assessment services are offered at the Web on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

He said that The Web was engaged in a "harm minimisation" strategy.

A facet of this strategy was the "On the Piss" project which aimed to educate youth in binge drinking issues including long term health effects.

It allowed information exchange between Web personnel and youth on these issues, and between young people themselves.

Mr Richarson said that project sessions would be held each Friday night.

"We have great services here such as nursing and doctor services.

"Three doctors rotate weekly.

"This is a fantastic service that is being used," he said.

Mr Richardson said: "Pot and booze are wrecking our kids and encourage high risk behaviours such as violence and unsafe sex.

"It's everywhere - not just on the Peninsula."

He said that underage alcohol consumption was encouraged by our culture through slick marketing and parents offering their children alcohol at home.

"Although I do sympathise with parents as kids will often find alcohol elsewhere," he said.

The Web youth service operates from the Peninsula Community Centre, located at the corner of McMasters Rd and Ocean Beach Rd.

Con Orfanos, August 12