Supporting the Development and Sustainability in Prevention of Drug Abuse Activities East African Region

Title:  Supporting the Development and Sustainability in prevention of drug abuse activities East African Region.

Authors:

1 Rogers Kasirye, MA, Humphrey Fellow 2012, Executive Director, Uganda Youth Development Link. Po box 12659 Kampala.  kasiryer@yahoo.com.

2  Jeff Lee  MA,  Mentor Foundation  UK. ; 3 Ken Winters Ph.D University of Minnesota US, 4 Richard Mackenzie PhD University Southern California

Introduction:

The Poster will present an overview of activity and progress of the project since September 2010, of the Partners in Prevention project initiative focused on (1) developing organizational and human resource capacity alongside practical programmes in order to achieve acceptable quality standard for effective and efficient organizational operation; (2) implementing best practice principles in prevention work; and (3) supporting capacity development of staff. A full internal needs assessment took place and the Mentor team of professionals offered a process of action to help build and develop competency to prevention workers in those skill and knowledge areas identified as most needed.  

The Partners in Prevention achieved the following outcomes:

• Mentor affiliated partner organizations and staff received high quality training.
• Specific resources were adapted for implementation, evaluation and supported by training. Printed 7,500 hard copies of the Peer to Peer User Guide and Prevention Smart Parents, distributed to 208 key people and organizations in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
• Raised awareness of the need to address drug abuse prevention among young people in the region and that supported the development of other focal points in Africa.  
• Expansion of a regional network for prevention, coordinated and serviced through UYDEL/Mentor East Africa and Mentor International.   

 

Lessons learnt: Dissemination of best practices for prevention to other agencies working in the field of prevention within Uganda and the East African region through workshops and supporting communication material is still needed.  Establishment of a regional Network for prevention and providing a website component and a Newsletter targeted at the East African population plays a crucial role in maintaining network and supporting members. Revising, re-producing relevant, sound information and availability of working manuals soft and hardcopies to the East African region is a key goal for future work.

The development of the regional centre and its Network, in collaboration between Mentor and UYDEL, is a unique and necessary development in the region and offers potential for offering immediate support, advice, information, resources and training for all who work as agents of prevention. 

Key words:  adaptation, capacity building and networking.