Youth and drugs - making a difference

Youth and drugs - making a difference

Successful community action against drugs will be showcased at a conference in Auckland.

Never a day goes by that alcohol and drug issues aren’t being talked about in our papers and on talk back radio.

This is because communities are saying they have had enough, says Pariri Rautahi, national CAYAD co-ordinator.

Community Action Youth and Drugs is a national programme of 45 staff working across New Zealand to reduce the harm to young people from alcohol and other drugs.

“We are hearing the voices from around the country. People are really concerned about the impact of drugs on young people, families and communities. People are taking to the streets and really want to be heard in the current reviews of our drug and alcohol laws,” says Mr Rautahi.

The annual Community Action on Youth and Drugs conference is being held in Auckland from 5 - 7 October, 2010, at Waipuna Restaurant and Conference Centre, Mt Wellington, Auckland.

CAYAD staff are presenting the successful approaches that communities have used to reduce harm and help young people take positive pathways.

For example Mike Ikilei and Anna Jacob from the Auckland City CAYAD project have been working with dance party venue managers and Down Town Police on CBD dance parties.

As a result, venues have brought in improved policies and practices the parties are now safer. “Twice the amount of drugs are being seized in these clubs than before, which means we are not seeing so many admissions to emergency departments and hospitals” said Mike.

Managers of big venues like Vector Arena and Eden Park have also been talking to CAYAD and are keen to get their help to introduce drug handling policies and safety procedures, especially with the Rugby World Cup approaching.

The following successful examples from each region of New Zealand will be presented at the conference.

Mike Ikilei and Anna Jacob from the Auckland City CAYAD project have been working with dance party venue managers and Down Town Police on CBD dance parties. As a result, venues have brought in improved policies and practices the parties are now safer. “Twice the amount of drugs being seized in these clubs than before, which means we are not seeing so many admissions to Emergency Departments and hospitals” said Mike.

Managers of big venues like Vector Arena and Eden Park have also been talking to CAYAD and are keen to get their help to introduce drug handling policies and safety procedures, especially with the Rugby World Cup approaching.

Big city problems have been tackled at a higher ‘systems’ level in order to make a difference to a whole city of young people. In Christchurch Mike Moss and Wiremu Gray from St John of God and Waipuna Youth and Community Services Trust have brought together all the alcohol and other drug counsellors.

“We kept hearing from the high schools that they couldn’t get their young people into AOD counsellors, the waiting list was so long” said Mike.

“We know that unless you can get the right sort of help for young people developing a drug dependence, then most likely their drug use gets heavier and they get suspended from school and many lose the opportunity that education provides. By forming an AOD Collaboration CAYAD has helped decrease waiting lists to AOD counsellors” explained Wiremu. “Schools were referring them students that didn’t really need AOD counselling so we contacted all our high schools and made them aware of the criteria for referral to AOD services, now the kids that really need help can get it in a timely way. Just by working a bit smarter we have improved the system so that these young people have a much better chance at a positive future.”

In Gisborne CAYAD Co-ordinators at Turanga Health have facilitated programmes that have seen a reduction in drug related suspensions of Maori boys in their local high schools.

In Whakatane, a community that was living in fear due to P labs, and suppliers in their midst has ‘taken their village back” says Des Harawira from Ngati Awa Social and Health Services. “Before, it was scary, but with CAYAD’s support, the community had the guts to do something about it. Now, the labs have been shut down, some people have stopped using P and a Neighbourhood Support group has been established.”

Jay Rerekura, CAYAD Co-ordinator at Nga Tai o Te Awa Trust in Whanganui says his community was motivated by the gang related death of baby Ghia two years ago. “ This resulted in dialogue between Mayor Laws, iwi and community agencies and groups.

After a lot of talking Whanganui now has a Taskforce has been established with the purpose of stopping the flow of young people into gangs. A Whanganui wide For Our Kids project is about to be launched which has the involvement of not only the community and Council, but local business as well.

“We are all pulling together to help our young people to achieve their potential, and for CAYAD, that means reducing drug use and harms to our families and community”, says Jay.

Northland sites are making good progress with their alcohol and drug free sports clubs project. “People were sick of the regular drinking, smoking and dealing drugs that was going on around young people at their weekend games” said CAYAD’s Tony Cook from Te Oranga. “So the Legends Rugby League Club in Kaitaita led the way in their alcohol and drug free policy, and other clubs are on the path, including rugby and net ball clubs”.

CAYAD has been working with Massey High School for a number of years and what the school has found is that the comprehensive approach to supporting students using alcohol and drugs has resulted in their reducing or stopping use, being able to stay at school and improve their school work and achievements.

More positive findings from an independent evaluation conducted in 2009 was that CAYAD staff have succeeded in increasing parents’ involvement with their children.

The connection within families is a key protective factor for young people and encouraging parents to be more involved with children can help prevent them using alcohol and drugs as they grow up.

ENDS

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