About

About the AERC Alcohol Academy

The Academy was set up in 2009 by Ranzetta Consulting, public health specialists for alcohol, with a grant from the Alcohol Education and Research Council. Its aim is to promote excellence in local alcohol harm reduction, by training and supporting local alcohol coordinators and strategic leads for alcohol. 

Alongside its work with local alcohol coordinators (including seminars, networking and briefings), the Academy also provides a range of specialised training packages. As a social enterpise, profits generated are re-invested into achieving our aims. However, our core work with local alcohol coordinators is free of charge.

In 2009 the World Health Organization released the 'Handbook for action to reduce alcohol-related harm'. It states:

"The professional workforce engaged in alcohol policy and implementation includes public health practitioners, policy advocates and researchers. Alcohol policy work requires an appropriately trained workforce with a wide variety of knowledge and skills."

The AERC Alcohol Academy's aim fully engenders this need and aims to promote such learning and skills development in order to deliver effective local alcohol harm reduction.

About AERC

The Alcohol Education and Research Council was established by the Government in 1982 by an Act of Parliament, The Licensing (Alcohol Education and Research Act 1981), to administer the Alcohol Education and Research Fund. This Fund finances projects within the United Kingdom for education and research on alcohol related issues.

The Council's main aims are to:
 
  • Generate and disseminate research based evidence to inform and influence policy and practice.
  • Develop the capacity of people and organisations to address alcohol issues.

The Council also funds research and development projects as well as a limited number of studentships.  In order to achieve these objectives the Council fosters alliances with other organisations that have similar aims and objectives.

About Ranzetta Consulting

Ranzetta Consulting was established in 2001 to undertake consultancy, research and project management in the substance misuse field, with particular interest in alcohol and public health. Since then we have completed a number of important commissions, including work for UK Drug Action Teams, Government Office for London, the Department of Health, and the EU. In 2005 we established Alcohol Policy UK, the website of news and analysis for the alcohol harm reduction field which now receives 11,000 hits a month.

From our experience of alcohol needs assessments, impact studies, evaluations and alcohol strategy development work, we believe that effective alcohol harm reduction at local level requires a multi-component approach - ie different activites happening at once and in synergy - with strong coordination. Alcohol coordinators are important for bringing the various strands and agencies together and driving the work forward. We want to 'make a difference' in alcohol harm reduction, and believe that in setting up and supporting the Academy that in turn supports and develops local alcohol coordinators, we can make the most positive contribution to the field.