The AlcoLOLs Project

The AlcoLOLs project was co-created by Portobello High School pupils along with academics at Queen Margaret University. The pupils, who call themselves The AlcoLOLs, co-designed a way of breaking down the barriers which constrict teenagers from being able to discuss alcohol in a meaningful way. The approach has been further developed over 3 years with AlcoLOLs at 6 Edinburgh high schools. To date it has involved some 3000 pupils in dialogue groups which means talking together in a safe space (with no adults involved) about Scotland’s drinking culture to decide for themselves whether to drink or not to drink.We believe that the AlcoLOLs approach works because it helps teenagers realise that that they don’t need to make isolated judgments governed by how they think things are (social norms), but together can critically reflect on how their reality is constructed; and can decide to change it.