Despite downwards trends in overall alcohol consumption amongst young adults, recent analysis has revealed that ambulance attendance rates amongst young adults and other acute alcohol-related harms are actually trending upwards in specific Victorian Local Government Areas over the past ten years. Vic Health has recently invested over $3 million in grants for evidence-based approaches to changing cultures of risking drinking in subpopulations in Victoria. This project report sees a stream to the What’s your Story project with Swinburne Business School which focuses on creating new stories through stimulating (youth) social entrepreneurship focussed around drinking culture in 18- 24 year olds.

The report begins with a literature review on social entrepreneurship for social change including the application to alcohol-culture change within Australia and world-wide. This review demonstrates that the area is a young and emerging area with opportunities for further development and more evaluation to demonstrate impacts.

The insights in the report provide particular insights into young people and their views around alcohol culture and late night entertainment. Young people are concerned about alcohol related violence and drink spiking, they feel that binge drinking is one of the leading factors for alcohol as a social problem, and identify that loneliness and peer pressure are significant contributors for young people experiencing these negative effects. In terms of solutions, we saw young people drawn to educational programs and awareness campaigns, as well as proposing digital technologies, such as apps, to provide opportunities to bring meaningful connection and greater safety for young people enjoying a night out. Opportunities to improve support structures to address the social aspects of alcohol culture were also raised as potential solution areas.