The Balearic Government has presented the first summer of the Safe Parties Programme, an initiative that already has the support of 27 municipalities, 18 of which are in Mallorca. The programme aims to promote responsible leisure among adolescents and young people through prevention and training.
The Vice President and Councillor of the Presidency, Coordination of Government Action and Local Cooperation, Antònia Maria Estarellas, presented the first summer of the Balearic Safe Parties Programme on Wednesday. The initiative, driven by the Government, already has the support of 27 municipalities in the archipelago, of which 18 are from Mallorca.
“Our intention is not to create a catalogue of prohibitions or focus the message on sanctions, but to provide tools for young people to have fun responsibly and return home safe and sound,” Estarellas stated during the presentation.
A preventive approach without prohibitions
The Balearic Safe Parties Programme aims to promote responsible leisure among adolescents and young people. To achieve this, it focuses on prevention, training and collaboration with local councils. Its goal is for popular festivities to remain spaces of coexistence, fun and safety.
Estarellas explained that the programme aims to accompany young people so they understand the risks associated with alcohol and other substance consumption. It also seeks to ensure they know how to prevent dangerous situations and act correctly in an emergency. “A party is a party when it is fun, and fun is compatible with safety,” she added.
For residents of the participating municipalities, this means that local festivities will have coordinated safety plans and specific informative campaigns. Young people will receive training on the risks of combining alcohol with energy drinks, chemical submission or sexual harassment, among other topics.
27 municipalities participating: 18 from Mallorca, five from Menorca and four from Ibiza
The municipalities in Mallorca that have already joined the programme are: Alcúdia, Algaida, Bunyola, Calvià, Campanet, Campos, Deià, Esporles, Felanitx, Inca, Lloseta, Pollença, Porreres, Puigpunyent, Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, Sencelles, Sineu and Sóller. In Menorca, Maó, Ciutadella, es Castell, es Mercadal and Ferreries have joined; and in Ibiza, Eivissa, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Sant Joan de Labritja and Sant Josep de sa Talaia.
Before the start of the summer season, the programme had already been present at events such as New Year's Eve in Ibiza, the Pi de Sant Antoni in Pollença, the Firó de Sóller and the Sant Joan festivities in Ciutadella. Last weekend, it was also deployed at the Summer Carnival in Campanet, one of the first major celebrations of the summer.
In all these events, the Government collaborates with local councils in planning security arrangements. It also provides advice for developing security plans, coordinates resources when necessary, and develops informative campaigns and preventive actions to promote responsible leisure.
Workshops in schools and training for police
Driven by the Institute of Public Safety of the Balearic Islands (ISPIB) in coordination with the Police Tutor Programme, the initiative develops various prevention and awareness actions aimed at both young people and families and professionals.
These include workshops in educational centres, informational sessions for families, training for non-professional alcohol dispensers, campaigns about the prohibition of selling alcohol to minors, and specialised courses for officers involved in large events.
The workshops address the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, vaping and drug consumption. They also inform about the risks of combining alcohol with energy drinks, chemical submission and sexual harassment. Additionally, they remind participants of the prohibition on carrying knives, promote the use of public or family transport, and teach how to act in an emergency.
Since the programme began, 138 workshops have been held in educational centres across the Balearic Islands, with the participation of around 3,500 students. This means that, for the upcoming school year, more students from the participating municipalities will receive this training, contributing to making the festivities safer for everyone.
The Government plans to continue expanding the network of participating municipalities, and interested councils can apply for inclusion in the programme through the ISPIB. For young people, the recommendation is clear: enjoy the festivities responsibly, and in case of emergency, know who to turn to.