Associate Professor Alison Hutton

Protecting the masses

Teenage events such as Schoolies Week and music festivals have earned headlines for accidents, drug overdoses and occasional deaths, but Associate Professor Hutton takes up the challenge of harm minimisation at mass gatherings with relish.

“I’ve been a practising nurse and I’m a mother. Of course a part of me wants to tell young people to go home to bed when I am at some events; but I know that wouldn’t work – if I was in their shoes I wouldn’t take any notice!” Associate Professor Hutton said.

“We have to identify better ways to enable young people to enjoy the freedom and excitement of gathering in large groups at events while encouraging a better approach to reducing risks and encouraging safety.

A regular face at Schoolies, outdoor music festivals and even the Royal Adelaide Show, Associate Professor Hutton is able to provide insights that parents dream of, and that regulators beg for. Her work has been recognised by the World Health Organisation and is helping to inform policy changes, so that support at events for young people is more effective at preventing rather than responding to emergency situations.

“We need to implement real-time, positive intervention strategies for major events – it’s not good enough to wait and respond after something has gone wrong and someone has been hurt, or worse. It’s about being proactive and pre-empting possible issues, and implementing strategies to avoid them becoming a risk.

“Young people need our support when enjoying themselves. For many, it is the most memorable part of their lives. We want to contribute in ways that ensure those memories are treasured because of the positive contribution they will make to their future lives as adults.”