RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL:

Have you considered doing an RSA course in Sydney?

Should you enrol your adolescent child in an RSA course?

While it goes without saying that anyone seeking to gain work in the hospitality industry (bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, wineries, event venues, and stores selling liquor) must have their RSA certification, there are many benefits for all senior high school students to spend a day availing themselves of face-to-face RSA training.

Alcohol and Australia’s Youth

1. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022-2023):

• • Australian Alcohol Guidelines recommend that people under age 18 should not consume alcohol at all.
  • Fewer young people aged 18-24 now consume alcohol monthly (compared with 2019)
  • For youth aged 14-17 who drink, pre-mixed spirits were preferred, especially among women, followed by bottled spirits. Males aged 18-24 were more likely to consume beer.
  • Young risky drinkers are now more likely to be female than in 2019 – though males are still more likely to be high-risk drinkers overall.
  • 31% of 14-17-year-olds had consumed alcohol in the 12 months prior; in 2001 this rate was 69%.

• Young people generally agree that, for a 16-17-year-old, drinking 1-2 standard drinks occasionally was fine and not a health risk, and could be beneficial as an introduction before being able to drink at 18.

 

2.The Australian Institute of Family Studies reports that more than one in four adolescents under the age of 18 years is allowed to consume alcohol at home and one in five is allowed to take alcohol to parties and other social events. This is professionally considered to increase their risk of harm.

Despite the belief of many parents that supervised alcohol consumption may facilitate a more responsible relationship with it in the future, research suggests that premature alcohol use may lead to harmful practices now and later in life. Moreover, frequent parental alcohol consumption is associated with higher rates of underage teens being allowed to drink.

 

3.The National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre reports that as many as one-third of Australian youths aged 12-17 years drank alcohol recently; for 4% this is a regular risky drinking behaviour. Parents are the main facilitators of this; it is legal for persons under the age of 18 to drink in the home with permission and supply by the parent or legal guardian – despite all recommendations against it.

Also, disturbingly, one in six 12-15-year-olds and one in four 16-17-year-olds have been victims of at least one alcohol-related incident (verbal/physical abuse or being fearful of an intoxicated person).

What is the RSA Course?

RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) training is the foundational certification required for you to sell, serve, or supply liquor.

In NSW, one must legally complete an RSA training course provided by an approved RTO or training provider. Anyone new to the liquor industry or for whom training occurred more than five years ago must complete a full RSA training course.

Topics covered in the course include:

• NSW’s liquor laws
• Selling, serving, and supplying alcohol responsibly
• Intoxication – includes assisting patrons to drink within responsible limits, assess alcohol-impacted patrons, and service refusal
• Minors, ID checks, and secondary supply
• Compliance and enforcement
• Strategies for harm minimisation

 

Why Older Teens Should Do the RSA Course

Even if they never intend to work in a job requiring the service or supply of alcohol, there are myriad benefits for young people completing this training.

By the time teens are aged 16-18, a majority are unlikely to welcome parental (and even familiar school teacher) instruction and influence in terms of anything, including liquor use. Moreover, some teens live in homes or are exposed to other environments where underage or excessive alcohol consumption is supported or even encouraged; some will have family members for whom alcohol abuse is normalised.

 

Risks associated with alcohol use include:

• Accident/Injury – motor vehicle and/or pedestrian accidents, fires, falls, drowning
• Increased risk of STIs (sexually transmitted infections) or unintended pregnancy
• Increased risk of violence and assault, including sexual
• Increased risks of longer-term issues including alcohol dependence, malnutrition, heart and vascular problems, liver disease, mental health issues, brain damage, diabetes, obesity, and cancers including breast, liver, mouth, and oesophagus.

 

Catch Training’s RSA Course is an effective way to formally introduce older teens to the potential dangers of drinking and its repercussions.

As well as covering the abovementioned topics, our RSA course covers essential issues such as:

• The physical and psychological impacts of alcohol on the human body
• The amount of alcohol in different drinks
• Underage drinking
• Intoxication and its ramifications
• Harm minimisation strategies

 

Important – Why to Avoid Online-Only Training

There are many courses advertised that promote online RSA training. This may seem more convenient and appealing to some students, but it does not offer the in-person support that many students want and need. It is also easy for students to collaborate, share responses, and provide generic answers to assessment questions without necessarily completing, understanding, and consolidating their online course content.

Our face-to-face RSA course at Catch Training is an enjoyable class delivered over six hours. The trainer is an industry expert who has hands-on experience. They encourage group discussion and interact with every student one-on-one to make sure each has understood the content and successfully passes the course on their own merits.

 

We need to do everything we can to support our young people to be informed and make better decisions for themselves regarding alcohol. They can also thereby support and encourage their peers to do the same.

RSA Training is one way to achieve this.

 

Choose Catch Training for Your Sydney RSA Course

Catch Training is a Sydney-based RTO (registered training organisation) offering a high-quality, face-to-face, one-day RSA course for everyone seeking to work in the hospitality industry. It is also highly recommended for all adolescents aged 17-18 years to build an understanding of and appreciation for the impacts of alcohol use and abuse, and how to enjoy alcoholic beverages responsibly if one chooses to imbibe.

Our RSA course may be taken on its own or bundled with other relevant training for those seeking employability in the hospitality sector.

• Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
• Customer Service Skills
• RSA & RCG Combo Deals (Responsible Gambling Services)
• RSA & Barista Crash Combo Deals
• RSA RCG Barista Crash Combo Deals
• Combo – RSA RCG Barista & Customer Service
• Job Finding Skills

 

We offer our Sydney RSA Course in several convenient locations, including St Mary’s, Hills District, Campbelltown, and Bathurst.

We welcome bookings for group training.

Catch Training is fully accredited and insured and our quality trainers have years of experience. Call 02 8007 3427 today or email us to learn more about our courses and to enrol for our top-quality Barista Training in Sydney – and together, let’s make your CV shine!