Led by Collingwood Learning and sponsored by Diageo Northern Ireland, Smashed is a theatre based programme to educate young people on the dangers of underage drinking in a way that is creative, engaging and hard-hitting. The initiative looks to empower young people by equipping them with the information, awareness and confidence to make responsible choices around alcohol.

The programme combines a live theatre production presented by professional actors accompanied by interactive workshops, evaluation and teaching resources for schools, which have been endorsed by The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations, and Assessment in Northern Ireland.

Smashed first came to Northern Ireland in February 2016 and since then has visited 150 schools across all education authority areas. The 20,000 student milestone was marked last week at Blackwater Integrated College in Downpatrick.

Claire Hutchinson, Corporate Relations Manager, Diageo Northern Ireland, said:

“Diageo is committed to empowering young people to resist the peer pressure and culture associated with alcohol and underage drinking. We believe that education is key in helping students to make informed decisions about alcohol consumption in the future – should they legally choose to drink – and in reducing alcohol related harm.

The Smashed initiative has been welcomed by schools here who have shown great support and we’re delighted to be able to say that 20,000 students have now been involved. We are proud to be playing a significant role in educating young people about the risks of alcohol and sincerely thank all of those schools and students who have participated to date. We look forward to continuing the delivery of Smashed in 2019.”

The Smashed Project is now live in 20 countries and will reach over 100,000 young people around the world in 2018 alone. Since its launch in the UK fourteen years ago, Smashed Live has engaged over half a million students with stunning evidence of impact and fantastic feedback from all stakeholders.

Diageo is dedicated to preventing underage drinking around the world and has been a proud sponsor of ‘Smashed’ since its birth in 2005.