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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

LOCAL ● Mentors need to be recognised: Mentors want to know their time and contributions are valued. Older mentors in particular seem to want their friends and family members to know that the sponsoring organisation values and acknowledges their skills and expertise. Mentor recognition is also an important strategy for maintaining people in your programme. If you are recruiting older adults from communities with very high-risk populations of youth, providing resources and validation becomes even more important. 48 “At first I thought my friends would laugh at me, being out with this old person. But my mentor is all that. He listens to what I have to say, you know, asks questions and really listens. I feel like I have a real friend.” (Tom 12) ● Ongoing support needs to be provided to mentor-youth pairs: Once the matches are made, it is imperative to follow up each pair in a systematic and timely fashion. If a problem arises that is not addressed, especially if this occurs early on, the relationship can easily disintegrate, and/or participants may become discouraged. Monthly in-service meetings are invaluable and should be built into the structure and schedule of the programme. A two-hour meeting which focuses on skill-building, problem-solving and resource sharing is ideal. Programme staff also need to make interim phone contact with mentors to follow up on the solutions that were identified, to see what kind of progress has been made and to assist with any resources that may be necessary. The conduct of focus groups involving the youth is important in order to understand the relationship from the youth’s perspective. ● Adapting the Across Ages model appropriately: The programme can be implemented in urban, suburban or semi-rural communities, and it can be implemented as a school-based or after-school/community model. Programme developers can utilise a life skills curriculum with which they are familiar. Community service activities can vary according to the needs of the community. There are certain elements, however, which cannot be changed without risking the spirit, intention and integrity of the model. For example, the unique feature of Across Ages is the cross-generational relationships that are developed and sustained over time. Recruiting mentors in their younger and middle years, whilst perhaps an easier or more familiar approach, misses the essence of the programme. The notion is that older adults – who are working less, have time to devote to a young person and have reached a place in their own development where the opportunity to ‘give back’ to younger generations is paramount to their own wellbeing – will be better placed to provide this. ● The theme of reciprocity is important to the Across Ages model and should be present and reinforced in any replication effort: Community service becomes both a vehicle and a catalyst to establish and strengthen relationships amongst those involved, whilst at the same time benefiting the larger community. Youth become the providers of service to others, as well as the recipients of service from their mentors. It is not especially important whether youth visit with elderly residents of nursing homes or do some other project; what does matter is that they have the opportunity for personal interaction, can engage in meaningful activities that directly benefit others, and that they have an experience that helps them understand their role in the world outside themselves. ● Overcoming ageism is a challenge: Despite the fact that older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the population in the USA and many other countries, and are in an ideal position to be a tremendous resource to children, youth and families in need of support, there is still a great deal of ageism that exists. Older adults often themselves question what they have to offer, and young professionals in the field may have negative attitudes about the kind of role models older adults can be for young people. This presents a challenge with regard to recruiting mentors and changing the perceptions of the public. Nonetheless, the research and the responses of the youth, families and mentors involved in the programme indicate that this is a ‘win-win’ model; it brings older people back into a central role in the community.
LOCAL ● Collaboration with other agencies is a challenge but not impossible: Programme developers have to model relationship-building at all levels of the programme. One needs to begin discussions in an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect and openness, and to make sure that agreements are written and not left to chance. If the youth in the programme are scheduled to visit with residents in a nursing home facility, it is helpful to have a written agreement between the Across Ages project and the nursing home that confirms each group's responsibilities. Regular, monthly team meetings should be held which involve key leaders among the project partners. This provides an opportunity to review procedures for communication, the project timeline, tasks, and the Memorandum of Understanding with each agency. 49
Page 1 and 2:
ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime MO
Page 3 and 4:
This document has been prepared by
Page 5 and 6:
Foreward It gives me great pleasure
Page 7 and 8:
Acknowledgements: IV This report wa
Page 9 and 10: Margareta Nilson Head of Department
Page 11 and 12: Executive Summary VIII The adoption
Page 13 and 14: 1. Introduction 1.1 Background The
Page 15 and 16: INTRODUCTION 1.2 Aims and objective
Page 17 and 18: INTRODUCTION The BRQ is a global in
Page 19 and 20: INTRODUCTION ● Response rate: The
Page 21 and 22: 2. A case for drug abuse prevention
Page 23 and 24: According to UNAIDS, in June 2000 t
Page 25 and 26: Traditionally, drug abuse preventio
Page 27 and 28: OVERVIEW 3. Overview of drug abuse
Page 29 and 30: OVERVIEW About half of all Governme
Page 31 and 32: OVERVIEW Life skills development Li
Page 33 and 34: OVERVIEW demand reduction work cons
Page 35 and 36: 4. Lessons learned in drug abuse pr
Page 37 and 38: Aims: To prevent children and youth
Page 39 and 40: LOCAL ● Partnerships with local G
Page 41 and 42: of crimes committed by children and
Page 43 and 44: LOCAL ● Focusing on high-risk ind
Page 45 and 46: LOCAL Aims: ● To improve safety o
Page 47 and 48: LOCAL Lessons Learned: ● Crucial
Page 49 and 50: LOCAL ● Selecting and training ap
Page 51 and 52: LOCAL and economic determinants of
Page 53 and 54: Aims: To mobilise youths for the pr
Page 55 and 56: LOCAL ● A project should not comm
Page 57 and 58: LOCAL Aims: To prevent, reduce or d
Page 59: LOCAL Lessons Learned: ● Training
Page 63 and 64: LOCAL Aims: To prevent drug abuse i
Page 65 and 66: LOCAL ● School conditions can pro
Page 67 and 68: NATIONAL It is clear from these fin
Page 69 and 70: NATIONAL ● Sensitising the teachi
Page 71 and 72: NATIONAL Aims: To prevent drug abus
Page 73 and 74: NATIONAL ● Implementing a strateg
Page 75 and 76: NATIONAL Main activities: ● Worki
Page 77 and 78: NATIONAL Substance Use Training Man
Page 79 and 80: NATIONAL ● Applying the training
Page 81 and 82: NATIONAL Youth Connection REGION: N
Page 83 and 84: NATIONAL 100 youth workers have bee
Page 85 and 86: NATIONAL the abuse of illicit drugs
Page 87 and 88: NATIONAL ● The public political a
Page 89 and 90: INTERNATIONAL There are currently e
Page 91 and 92: INTERNATIONAL ● Creation of commu
Page 93 and 94: INTERNATIONAL Mobilisation of NGOs
Page 95 and 96: INTERNATIONAL Aims: To obtain withi
Page 97 and 98: INTERNATIONAL ● Networking pools
Page 99 and 100: RECOMMENDATIONS THE RECOMMENDATION:
Page 107 and 108: given that these entities in many i
Page 109 and 110: DEFINITIONS Drug Abuse/Use In the c
Page 111 and 112:
DEFINITIONS ● Universal Preventio
show all

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

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?