“Stand Against Drugs”

The main goal of the project “Stand Against Drugs” (589583-EPP-1-2017-1-NO-EPPKA2-CBYACPALA) in the light of Erasmus+ is to bring together participants from Italy, Malta, Norway, Romania and Uzbekistan so they learn drug abuse prevention methods and how to engage their society in fighting against drugs as well as raising awareness about healthy lifestyle among the youth as there might be problems related with drug abuse in every country which come on the surface of society's life because of stress, limited material possibilities, or financial problems in dysfunctional families without status.

SADs-project introduced youth workers to the concepts of universal drug abuse prevention programmes through youth work in order to make great strides in developing both the knowledge and tools that can stem the tide of drug abuse and curb its devastating effects on young people and on the community as a whole through media and community-based interventions (Norway, Italy, Malta, Uzbekistan, Roumania).

The partners grasped the complex challenges of drug abuse on a youth social, educational, cultural and/or personal development and became familiar with the multiple forms of universal drug abuse prevention programmes, by developing sustainable solutions to address drug problems and their social consequences such as weak parenting, school drop-outs, unsafe sexual practices, or sexual and domestic violence, etc.

Since these daunting drug problems are likely to be paired with any number of other difficulties in youth and their adult lives; thus, how can young people be educated and/or empowered to reduce and prevent them from abusing drugs? What are their knowledge and learning needs and most importanly what kind of drug abuse prevention programmes can help them? And what are the learning needs of those facilitating youth training and/or empowerment?
Thus, the project was designed to seek answers to these questions by promoting a sustainable youth work in drug abuse prevention through universal programs that are meant for everyone within a youth association, a youth center, school, a community, or a similar group to reduce the prevalence of drug abuse among young people and raise an awareness on the effects of drugs abuse on youth's mental health and well-being as well as their social consequences.