In 1994, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan approached The Century Council to fund development and testing of a reality-based program to help adults discuss alcohol with children at an early age. The result is Ready or Not®: Talking With Kids About Alcohol, a community program of The Century Council developed in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Ready or Not is unique in its focus on kids ages 10 to 14. This is a time when many children begin facing decisions about alcohol, as well as a time when adults, especially parents, are still the most important influence in children's lives.

Ready or Not has been distributed to all 2,000 Boys & Girls Clubs and to many local, state and national organizations. To expand the program's reach, a culturally sensitive Spanish language version, Sin Rodeos: Hablando con los niños sobre el alcohol®, and a Native American version of Ready or Not were developed in collaboration with education and prevention experts from these communities.

A key element in Ready or Not is a series of role-playing scenarios demonstrating messages that adults can use in various situations. Support materials allow the video to be used by an adult in private at home, or in 60- to 90-minute group workshops. Portions of the video can be viewed with children to stimulate discussion. The take-home brochure summarizes the prevention strategies for future reference.

Results: Parents confirm That "Ready or Not" helps

An independent survey by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation combined focus groups and telephone interviews to survey 118 adults who participated in Ready or Not during the Michigan pilot program. The survey determined that two-thirds were motivated to talk with their kids about alcohol, and that two-thirds of these found the program helpful in deciding what to say.

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