Kelsey O’Hara shared information about a Virginia Tech program designed to reduce high-risk drinking during 21st birthday celebrations, when students often engage in “bar crawl”-type partying. A week before their 21st birthday, the program invites students to talk with a peer educator and receive a discount book. It uses an evidence-based approach that includes training peer educators in motivational interviewing techniques, targets a high-risk event in a timely way, and incorporates thorough evaluation.

 What’s needed to make it happen?

• Intervention script and resources,
• Space for meeting with students (three afternoons each week),
• Staff or student time/training,
• Incentives (coupons from willing businesses),
• Ability and plan to advertise,
• Ability and plan to evaluate, and
• Approval from administration.

Working with Businesses

• Find mutual benefit. Most want to help the community, to be seen in a positive light, and to make a profit.
• Be strategic and persistent when making contact.
• Make it clear that you will uphold your end of the bargain.
• Use your connections and think like a marketer. It is a sales pitch.
• Don’t get discouraged if the first answer is “no”.
• Check in. Adjust as necessary.
• Don’t forget help from students.
• Use business competition to your advantage. Keep it local.

How do you get students to participate in the program?

• A simple email highlighting the coupon book that is timed closely to the student’s birthday works!
• Posters and other more traditional print or social media can be used minimally since students can only participate for a very limited time.

21st Birthday Project

 Kelsey O’Hara shared information about a Virginia Tech program designed to reduce high-risk drinking during 21st birthday celebrations, when students often engage in “bar crawl”-type partying. A week before their 21st birthday, the program invites students to talk with a peer educator and receive a discount book. It uses an evidence-based approach that includes training peer educators in motivational interviewing techniques, targets a high-risk event in a timely way, and incorporates thorough evaluation. 

 What’s needed to make it happen? 

• Intervention script and resources, 
• Space for meeting with students (three afternoons each week), 
• Staff or student time/training, 
• Incentives (coupons from willing businesses), 
• Ability and plan to advertise, 
• Ability and plan to evaluate, and 
• Approval from administration. 

Working with Businesses

• Find mutual benefit. Most want to help the community, to be seen in a positive light, and to make a profit. 
• Be strategic and persistent when making contact. 
• Make it clear that you will uphold your end of the bargain. 
• Use your connections and think like a marketer. It is a sales pitch. 
• Don’t get discouraged if the first answer is “no”. 
• Check in. Adjust as necessary. 
• Don’t forget help from students. 
• Use business competition to your advantage. Keep it local. 

How do you get students to participate in the program? 

• A simple email highlighting the coupon book that is timed closely to the student’s birthday works! 
• Posters and other more traditional print or social media can be used minimally since students can only participate for a very limited time. 

 How do we know if it is working?

• Process and outcome evaluation measured: Adherence to chosen strategy,
  • Negative outcomes experienced,
  • Standard drinks consumed,
  • Impact of food coupons,
  • Use of alternative activities

A Sample of Schools with the 21st Birthday program: Virginia Tech, Syracuse University, University of Oregon, JMU, University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Kansas State University, University of Denver.