Information for Injury Survivor Volunteers*

P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) is a one-day, in-hospital injury awareness and prevention program for youths aged 15 and older. This program was developed in 1986 at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The goal of P.A.R.T.Y. is to provide young people with information about traumatic injury that will enable them to: recognize potential injury-producing situations, make prevention-oriented choices, and adopt behaviours that demonstrate healthy risk.

Our Volunteers

We rely on our many volunteers to continue delivering a quality program at no cost to schools. Volunteers include paramedics, nurses and injury survivors.

What do injury survivor speakers do at P.A.R.T.Y.?

Injury survivors are invited to speak to students about their experiences of sustaining an injury, rehabilitation, and life after injury. We encourage students to ask questions so they can learn from you.

When do the presentations take place?

The Program is held on Tuesdays and Fridays, September through June. While it is a full-day program, the injury survivor presentations take place between 1:00 and 2:30 p.m.

Where will I be presenting?

After spending the morning at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, students visiting the Program go to Toronto Rehabilitation Institute's Lyndhurst site for the afternoon. The injury survivor presentations take place at Lyndhurst. Lyndhurst is located at 520 Sutherland Drive Toronto, Ontario M4G 3V9.

What do the students experience before they visit Lyndhurst?

Before hearing from injury survivors, students have a full morning at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. They interact with a team of health professionals – including a paramedic, a police officer, a physician and nurses – as well as trauma patients. They learn about the course of injury from occurrence through transport and treatment.

Students are given information about:

How many students will I be presenting to?

The average group size for each visit is 40 students. Sometimes we host large groups, up to 80 or 90 students.

Will I be presenting alone?

How do I know if I'm a good fit for this program?

If you are comfortable speaking in front of others and you have a story to share, chances are you'll be a great fit for P.A.R.T.Y. But the best way to know is to come see it for yourself. You can arrange to visit the Program through the RBC First Office for Injury Prevention.

Can I visit P.A.R.T.Y. even if I'm not interested in volunteering?

In addition to students, the P.A.R.T.Y. Program also welcomes individual guests. You can arrange to visit the Program through the RBC First Office for Injury Prevention.

I want to share my story, but don't feel comfortable speaking to a group.

We would love to share your story on our website. Contact us if you are interested in posting your story in written or video form on the site.