You
are here: YPAS - support
services - substance misuse
Substance
Misuse:
Our
Substance Misuse Project
works with young people aged 13 to 25, who have, or who
are at risk of, concerns and issues around drugs and alcohol.
Our
aim is to improve their quality of life and choices in
a way that minimises harm and offers opportunities for
lifestyle change.
Click
here to read what young people say about the Substance
Misuse Project.
We
provide a range of support, including:
We
work in partnership with other agencies to help young
people overcome their substance misuse difficulties.
 |
Talk To Frank:
To promote the 'Talk To Frank' web site and helpline,
a sofa was to be placed in various locations around
the country. The overall aim of the promotion
was to give young people information about how
they can contact 'Talk to Frank' but also about
where they could access local information, help
and support.
Liverpool's
Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) approached
YPAS to take part in this promotion and with support
from the Youth Offending Team, Solve-It UK and
OKUK, we agreed to 'sit on the sofa' outside the
Law Courts. We generated a lot of interest from
people of all ages and the young people who approached
us had no issues with sitting on the sofa and
chatting to us about a wide variety of substance
issues. The day was a great success that culminated
in an article in the Liverpool Echo.
|
One to One Support:
While the majority of young people who try drugs and alcohol
do not go on to develop a problem, a substantial minority
do and unfortunately there is no way to predict which
young person will make this transition from experimentation
to problem drug use.
- For
young people whose substance use is either experimental
or social/recreational: who
are functioning well in other areas of their life and
who do not wish to make changes with regards to their
using, we aim to ensure their choice is an informed
one and that they cause as little harm as is possible
to themselves or to others.
- For
those who are experiencing some negatives from their
use: we strive to assist them in improving
their quality of life in a way that minimises harm and
offers opportunities for lifestyle change either in
the present or the future.
- For
young people whose substance use maybe more problematic:
intensive,
(bingeing), dependent or a crutch that makes an imperfect
world more bearable; using a range of supportive, targeted
and motivation enhancing techniques, we have assisted
them in understanding the function of their substance
use within the context of their life. This also helps
them live with their drug use with as much stability,
dignity and minimisation of harm as is possible until
they are able or ready to make changes or stop.
back
to top
Group Work:
The primary aim of our drug education sessions is about
enabling young people to acquire age-appropriate, impartial
and accurate information about drugs and drug use, including
information on the health effects and social consequences.
It focuses on clarification and development of knowledge,
attitudes, beliefs and values that impact on the substance-related
choices that young people make.
When delivering sessions with young people we actively
strive to ensure that the information we deliver:
- is
non-judgmental,
- reflects
the reality of young people's lives,
- responds
to their specific drug related issues or queries,
- always
seeks to meet the relevant personal learning needs of
young people,
- takes
into account the lifestyle, maturity and social, cultural
and religious contexts in which they live their lives.
Examples of the sessions/projects delivered:
-
'No Smoking Day',
-
Ketamine awareness sessions, including an informative
window display in the YPAS building,
-
Alcohol - awareness of the negative physical and social
consequences of drinking and binge drinking,
-
To reach consensus and solutions to problems together,
-
To develop the social skills of sharing, leadership,
communication, building trust and managing conflict,
which are important skills in everyday life, at work
and in family and other personal relationships.
back
to top
Peer Education:
User-led support provides the opportunity to share similar
life experiences, and provides a sense of safety and relief
at being with people who had overcome similar obstacles.
Enabling young people to add to their already wide repertoire
of substance related knowledge and experiences, and empowering
them to share this within their peer group provides a
credible and acceptable way of delivering drug education.
Our substance related peer education projects
have enabled young people to:
-
Acquire new information,
-
Impart their own knowledge andskills to other young
people,
-
Consider different points of view,
-
Reach consensus and solutions to problems together,
-
Develop the social skills of sharing, leadership, communication,
building trust and managing conflict, which are important
skills in everyday life, at work and in family and other
personal relationships.
back
to top
Harm Reduction:
When
delivering harm reduction we work on the basis that risk
taking is a normal part of adolescent behaviour and that
substance use could be a part of that risk taking for
a significant number of young people. While respecting
the rights of young people to make their own decisions
regarding substance use, our overriding consideration
is to keep these young people healthy and free of harm.
back
to top
What Young People Say:
Young
people who participate in this project have reported that
one of the strengths of the Substance Misuse Project at
YPAS is the lack of stigma in attending.
Due
to the variety of support and projects in existence at YPAS,
young people feel reassured and more confident about accessing
support for their substance misuse because no one really
knows why they are coming through the doors. It could
be to meet up with friends in the drop-in or to ask for
some advice about getting a new passport! This has certainly
made a difference in terms of their engagement and retention
with the project.
'Dark
and alone, I found a place
where light was, and it was hope.
Fears
dispelled and life began,
I put away the pain, it gathers dust.
I learnt to cry, scream and smile,
not to smother it all in lies,
not to drown it all in drink. |
A
year ago I could not see
where to go and how to be,
but now I'm happy and I'm free,
they helped me to be proud of me.
Written
by a young person supported by the Substance Misuse
Project. |
back
to top
