SWANSEA DRUGS PROJECT reducing drug and alcohol harm What do you know about SDP ? What we do ? Team Structure Staff Structure Why do people take drugs? Problems associated with drug misuse Harm reduction

SWANSEA DRUGS PROJECT WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SWANSEA DRUGS PROJECT ? reducing drug and alcohol harm

WHAT WE DO reducing drug and alcohol harm OUR MISSION STATEMENT “The Swansea Drugs project is a community based agency which exists to provide specialist confidential help and support to drug and alcohol users in Swansea: 1.To help them to live healthier lives 2. To minimise physical, psychological, social and legal problems related to drug use”

SWANSEA DRUGS PROJECT reducing drug and alcohol harm Drop in Team Housing team Links Team Family team Children and young people

SWANSEA DRUGS PROJECT Crisis InterventionAssessment CIA Open AccessOpen five days – evening opening Welcome & non judgmentalNeedle Exchange Advice & InformationBrief Interventions AdvocacyBenefits & Housing Debt AdvicePractical support Sign postingDiversionary Activities EducationEmployment / Training support Joint workAuricular acupuncture ReikiIndian head massage reducing drug and alcohol harm

SWANSEA DRUGS PROJECT BOARD OF TRUSTEES DIRECTOR MANAGERS SENIOR WORKERS STAFF TEAM & VOLUNTEERS

SWANSEA DRUGS PROJECT Staff Team reducing drug and alcohol harm Director Ifor glyn Business Manager Ian Hughes Admin HR /Finance SYD HOWELLS IT /ADMIN LINDA STENTIFORD Reception MARTIN JONES SF Admin CAROLINE DAVIES (PT) SF Researcher CLAIRE THOMAS (PT) RETURN TO WORK SCHEME Josh Parker Client Services Manager Gill Swanson Senior Family Worker HELEN SPENCER Family Worker SONIA ELLIS Family Worker COLIN LLOYD Family Worker CAROLE ATKINS Family Worker Sian Bengyfield Family Worker Lowri Williams Senior Open Access Worker JOHN FRITH Project Worker RAY DAVIES Needle Exchange worker STEVE ADAMS TSU JACKIE HANFORD TSU KEVIN BUCKLEY Long Term Sick TSU PAULINE UPTON TSU ADAM WHITEHOUSE Senior Young Persons JAMIE HARRIS YOS Worker EMMA HOWELLS Project Worker ALAN RUSSEL Project Worker Rob Barker Project Worker Joe Chambers Project Worker Chloe Thoman Hype Coordinator Vicky Carlisle SENIOR LINKS WORKER KAREN HARRY LINKS WORKER Rob Thomas LINKS WORKER Leah Huntley LINKS WORKER RACHEL MARQUIS LINKS WORKER JAN FRANCIS

WHY DO PEOPLE TAKE DRUGS Peer pressure Curiosity To rebel Boredom Because drug use is part of growing up To block out worries and problems To get a buzz To feel more confident To enhance a night out To cope with stress and anxiety Because they are available and accessible Because parents or older brothers and sisters use reducing drug and alcohol harm

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE MISUSE Physical and mental health Safer sex issues, HIV and STI’s Risk of blood borne viruses Poor performance, sickness / absenteeism. Unemployment Housing problems Offending Family / relationship breakdown reducing drug and alcohol harm

HARM REDUCTION Definition of Harm Reduction: Harm Reduction is term that defines policies, programmes, services and actions that work to reduce the: – Health – Social and – Economic Harms to: – Individuals – Communities and – Society That is associated with the use of drugs (Newcombe 1992) reducing drug and alcohol harm

HARM REDUCTION Harm reduction first became a widely used term in the UK in the 1980’s in response to the increasing number of cases of HIV Since then, it has been developed in a number of ways including “safer dancing”, substitute prescribing, naloxone, hep b vaccinations, safer sex, Harm reduction focuses on “safer” drug use and has also been developed as a way of educating young people about drug use, rather than telling young people to “just say no” There have been arguments over the morality of harm reduction. Some people say that it condones or promotes drug use, but people who support it say it is realistic and helps keep drug users safe and alive, and respect choice and individual freedom reducing drug and alcohol harm

PRINCIPLES OF HARM REDUCTION Harm reduction is: Pragmatic and accepts that the use of drugs is a common and enduring feature of human experience and acknowledges that, while carrying risks, drug use provides the user with benefits that must be taken into account if responses to drug use are to be effective. Prioritises goals: Harm reduction responses to drug use incorporate the notion of a hierarchy of immediate focus on proactively engaging individuals, targeting groups and communities to the most compelling needs through the provision of accessible and “user friendly” in the way they operate. reducing drug and alcohol harm

PRINCIPLES OF HARM REDUCTION Has humanists values: the drug user’s decision to use drugs is accepted as fact. No moral judgement is made to either condemn or to support the use of drugs. Focuses on risks and harms: on the basis that by providing responses that reduce risk, harm can be reduced or avoided. Does not focus on abstinence: although harm reduction supports those who seek to modify their drug use, it neither excludes nor presumes a treatment goal of abstinence. Seeks to maximise the range of intervention options that are available reducing drug and alcohol harm

GROUP EXERCISE Choose two of the following drugs, and discuss in groups how you would educate young people in safer drug use, using the harm reduction approach oAlcohol o Cannabis o Heroin o Cocaine o Magic Mushrooms Ecstasy o Crack Cocaine o Amphetamine o Tobacco o Benzodiazepines – Valium reducing drug and alcohol harm

EXAMPLE For example, for a young person who is drinking large amounts of Alcohol, classic harm reduction advice would be to advise them not to mix their drinks You can include harm reduction tips directly relevant to the drug, to the young person (safety), and to the community (disposal of needles) reducing drug and alcohol harm

MORE INFORMATION Facebook Website Naloxone saves lives website Library training Street drugs