News (Media Awareness Project) - UK: How Ulster Is Fighting Battle Against Drugs |
| Title: | UK: How Ulster Is Fighting Battle Against Drugs |
| Published On: | 1998-12-17 |
| Source: | Belfast Telegraph (UK) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-06 17:43:29 |
HOW ULSTER IS FIGHTING BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS
TODAY saw the publication of the findings of a major three-year drugs
education project involving young people in Northern Ireland.
The booklet 'Substance: YMCA Drugs Peer Education Project The Experience
1995-1998' outlines the efforts of the YMCA to respond to the growth of
drugs use among young people here.
As part of the initiative, over the past three years 146 people have been
trained as 'drug peer educators' by the organisation.
Many of these are now active in their local communities, putting what they
learned into practice by developing drugs awareness work with their peers.
The project was launched after the YMCA found many youth workers and
volunteers were ill-prepared to address the rising drugs problem of the
1990s.
Its objectives were to deliver an effective education programme for
disadvantaged young people by recruiting peer educators from local YMCAs and
training them to go out into the community and get their message across
through workshops.
According to the YMCA, the approach resulted in numerous benefits, not least
the improved self-esteem of many of the participants.
However, the organisation accepts there is a need for a more "co-ordinated
approach" to the drugs problem between all those responsible for tackling
the issue.
As a result of the project, the YMCA has developed a new health education
programme for the 1999-2001 period.
It is hoped 72 "highly motivated, well trained and properly supported" peer
educators will be trained to go out and each influence the lives of at least
50 other young people with regard to their perceptions of drugs.
The booklet has been welcomed by Health Minister John McFall.
"Significant steps have been taken in recent years in addressing the issue
of drug misuse among our young people," Mr McFall said.
"Recent reports show there are no grounds for complacency in the fight
against drug misuse and we must all continue to strive to equip our children
with the skills necessary to deal with the pressures they face."
Checked-by: Rolf Ernst
TODAY saw the publication of the findings of a major three-year drugs
education project involving young people in Northern Ireland.
The booklet 'Substance: YMCA Drugs Peer Education Project The Experience
1995-1998' outlines the efforts of the YMCA to respond to the growth of
drugs use among young people here.
As part of the initiative, over the past three years 146 people have been
trained as 'drug peer educators' by the organisation.
Many of these are now active in their local communities, putting what they
learned into practice by developing drugs awareness work with their peers.
The project was launched after the YMCA found many youth workers and
volunteers were ill-prepared to address the rising drugs problem of the
1990s.
Its objectives were to deliver an effective education programme for
disadvantaged young people by recruiting peer educators from local YMCAs and
training them to go out into the community and get their message across
through workshops.
According to the YMCA, the approach resulted in numerous benefits, not least
the improved self-esteem of many of the participants.
However, the organisation accepts there is a need for a more "co-ordinated
approach" to the drugs problem between all those responsible for tackling
the issue.
As a result of the project, the YMCA has developed a new health education
programme for the 1999-2001 period.
It is hoped 72 "highly motivated, well trained and properly supported" peer
educators will be trained to go out and each influence the lives of at least
50 other young people with regard to their perceptions of drugs.
The booklet has been welcomed by Health Minister John McFall.
"Significant steps have been taken in recent years in addressing the issue
of drug misuse among our young people," Mr McFall said.
"Recent reports show there are no grounds for complacency in the fight
against drug misuse and we must all continue to strive to equip our children
with the skills necessary to deal with the pressures they face."
Checked-by: Rolf Ernst
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