Party Ready

What Is Party Ready?

Do the students at your school know how to keep each other safe at parties and social gatherings? Our Party Ready program can help!

Party Ready equips students from Years 9 to 12 with the tools and knowledge to help their mates if they are injured, unwell or in distress. From CPR to mental health first aid and substance overdose, Party Ready will help young people feel confident to de-escalate the immediate situation as well as seek the appropriate supports and interventions.

Program Bookings

2026 Bookings Now Open

Book Party Ready School Program

The activities were engaging and let us put them into work either through problem solving or physically. The content and the practicals are essential to learn, and I learnt a lot in the workshop.

Braemar College student

Topics Covered

Alcohol, drug and mental health trends for young people
Typical effects of drugs and alcohol, and critical symptoms to look out for
Standard drink information and hands-on pouring activity
First aid response to drink spiking and alcohol poisoning
Harm minimisation tools and information, including Naloxone nasal spray
Risk scenarios and decision-making activities
Physical first aid action plan: DRSABCD
Mental health crisis response and mental health first aid action plan: “Listen to your HEAD”
CPR
Recovery position
Defibrillator use
Bandaging techniques
Sprain management
Concussion management
Additional resources for further support

I liked how we got to do hands on activities like practicing compressions and how to put someone in recovery position. Overall, this experience was fun and interesting that I could save someone's life if I need to. Thanks St John :)

Upper Yarra Secondary School student

DELIVERY & BOOKING INFORMATION

The Party Ready program is designed for Victorian secondary schools, delivering engaging sessions to groups of 12-30 students across a full school day with breaks and lunch included.

Key details include:

Up to 4 sessions per day (approx. 100 students total)
If you wish to book for more than 100 students, you can indicate this in the booking form, and arrangements can be made to accommodate your request.
Cost: $17 per student
Please refer to the booking form for the cancellation policy (applies to pre-allocated time and resources)

PROGRAM DETAILS

Students will complete a range of written, verbal and practical activities that will challenge their problem solving and communication skills, as well as demonstrate literacy and numeracy. To end the session, students will exhibit the proficiency of their newly acquired first aid skills and receive a certificate of completion.

Please be advised some of the content relating to mental health or substance use may be confronting for students. Your support and presence for student wellbeing is vital.

We will require:

A dedicated room for the day (per group), carpeted and at least 10mx10m and with some clear space for CPR practicals with four mannikins
Access to a screen with working sound—TV or data projector and screen
Access to a whiteboard
A teacher(s) to be present for the duration of the program to manage classroom behaviour and offer support or student participation as needed
Writing instruments for each student

Award Winning Program

Party Ready is now an award-winning program, proudly recognised earning the Resilient Australia Award (Community Category), a national accolade celebrating initiatives that build stronger, safer, and more prepared communities.

SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The Party Ready compliments the Health and Physical Education learning area of the Victorian Curriculum F-10, particularly in accordance with the following focus areas:

Alcohol and other drugs (AD): supporting students to make healthier and safer choices in relation to drugs and alcohol by understanding the bodily effects of substance use, environmental and other risk factors information regarding informed decisions and harm minimisation techniques.
Mental health and wellbeing (MH): teaching students resilience skills, coping strategies and behaviours to manage mental health crises as well as exploring contextual factors that influence mental health and wellbeing, and how those factors interact with physical health
Safety (S): encouraging strategies to maximise person safety and help others in a range of settings and scenarios, including uncomfortable or unsafe situations that require first aid and emergency care

In conjunction with curriculum materials, Party Ready also references data from high-quality national surveys, such as the National Drug Strategy Household 2022-23 and the Australian Secondary School Students Alcohol and Drug Survey 2023. This ensures that the content is modern, current and relevant for adolescents.

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The slides were good paired with the booklet to consolidate understanding. The activities were interesting and fun. Thank you for doing this program

Belmont High School student

The Party Ready workshop and presentation was extremely valuable for our young people. The presenters delivered the content in an engaging way and with nuance for our school context (alternative school setting). There was a mix of kinaesthetic tasks, as well as discussions and learning. Vital skills such as risk prevention and first aid were taught, and I think that all of our young people took something away from the session.

Miranda Sordello, Wellbeing Team Leader – Werribee Campus

Hester Hornbrook Academy

It was an incredibly informative and valuable experience. Myself and our students found the incursion to be comprehensive yet accessible, covering crucial topics such as first aid basics, responsible drinking practices, and how to stay safe in social settings. The instructors from St John Ambulance were not only highly knowledgeable but also engaging and approachable. They created a supportive environment where everyone felt comfortable asking questions and participating in discussions. Their real-life examples and practical demonstrations made the content relevant and easy to understand. What stood out to me the most was the emphasis on proactive measures and prevention. Learning about risk factors associated with parties and events, as well as practical tips on how to respond in emergency situations, left our students feeling more prepared and empowered. Overall, I highly recommend the Party Ready Incursion by St John Ambulance to any schools looking to enhance their students knowledge of safety practices during social gatherings. It's an invaluable resource that equips participants with life-saving skills and promotes a culture of responsibility and care.

Danni Galante, Learning Area Coordination - Health & Physical Education (Prep-Year 12)

Mount Ridley College

St John Ambulance Victoria acknowledges the support of the Department of Education, Victoria, through the Strategic Partnerships Program.