PDF (Lessons learned in drug abuse prevention: a global review)

LOCAL
● 100 boys have been trained in screen-printing – most of whom are now employed
● Peer educators have carried out various activities with regard to raising awareness
about HIV/AIDS and drug abuse prevention
● Significant numbers of children have left the streets and opted for rehabilitation –
300 over the last three years
● SUPPORT’s credibility as a source of HIV and Drug information is now high amongst
organisations working with street children
Lessons Learned:
● Prevention and intervention are complementary strategies in addressing the
drug problem in street children: Prevention – in the form of information – will not
affect the behaviour of street children unless it is coupled with opportunities to receive
care and treatment if they desire or need it.
“Prevention and
intervention are
complimentary
strategies in
addressing drug
abuse and HIV/AIDS.”
● Intervening early: The earlier the intervention, the less effort, time and finances are
required to prevent a street child from abusing drugs. It is easier to promote behaviour
change in street children when the child is not yet too influenced by street life.
● Multiple factors need to be handled with multiple approaches: Dealing with
human beings is a complex activity, especially when dealing with street children who
have developed their own survival skills. The survival skills generally include drug use.
Such children need to be approached as individual cases, but handled as a group or a
team and looked after in a safe environment where there is space for self-reflection
and analysis.
● Working with professionally-trained people can be cost-ineffective: It is
important to get professionals to carry out certain specific tasks for specific periods,
such as doing medical check-ups or giving expert information on health issues.
However, using ‘unqualified’ people from the target group and turning them into educators
can be a successful and economic way to reach and involve the target group over
a longer period of time. This approach is more sustainable, it increases self-reliance, it
focuses attention on working with laymen, and it empowers laymen to deal with their
own situation.
● Equipping street youth with technical and educational skills to get them into
mainstream society, thereby increasing their access to employment and
income: Youth living on the street with no support find it very difficult to keep a job;
therefore vocational training is crucial. This cause-oriented approach towards prevention
is an area that is usually neglected. Rather than just focusing on meeting the lack of
information on the harmful consequences of drug abuse, the project addresses the
roots of the problems that street children find themselves in.
● Training peer educators who are street children is not always easy: Initially,
street children often have problems adjusting, and do not always have the right aspirations.
There is a high risk of burnout, both of the peer educators and those who are
working with them. In the long term, however, street children have been proven to
show high levels of commitment and confidence in dealing with the project. They also
tend to stay involved longer than professionals. An issue that needs to be overcome is
that street children bring their own misconceptions and bias to the organisation, and
therefore need to receive some professional input. This inevitably involves a lot of time
and energy on the organisation’s side.
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● A long-term approach is better than a short-term approach: Short-term
approaches providing information on the nature and consequences of drugs or
HIV/AIDS are suitable for specific, usually informative purposes. However, behavioural
changes come with a more holistic and long-term approach that addresses the social