Transcript 20 Years on.

20 Years on....
Delivering innovation and developing
practice to deal with
alcohol and drug issues in
Northern Ireland
opportunity youth
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OY is the leading provider
of support services to
young people,
adult offenders
and their families
in Northern Ireland
opportunity youth
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OY deliver services in 3 main areas:
 Health
 Youth Justice
 Employability
opportunity youth
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OY worked with almost 20,000 people last year
& approximatley 129,000 over the last 20 years
Primary provider of alcohol & drug services to
young people - AD:EPT, CHILL, DAISY East,
DAISY West & Targeted Education
Largest provider of alcohol & drug services to
adults – AD:EPT & Community Support
The beginning...1993
Opportunity Youth
working holistically
to motivate change
Alcohol & Drugs always a focus
UUJ School of Education - 3 Year study
(McAleavey, G. & McCrystal, P., 1996)
Total sample 498 16-17 year olds
Alcohol
Pre-OY intervention - 94% reported they drank
alcohol to excessive levels
Post-OY Intervention – 30% claimed they had
reduced consumption while 24% indicated a
strong wish to do so
Alcohol & Drugs always a focus
UUJ School of Education - 3 Year study
(McAleavey, G. & McCrystal, P., 1996)
Total sample 498 16-17 year olds
Drugs
Pre-OY intervention - 83% reported they used
drugs
Post-OY Intervention – 36% claimed to have
stopped
1998
OY recognised the necessity to review
practice and add value
1st Voluntary Sector organisation to accredit
learning and offer a formal qualification for
drug & alcohol awareness through OCN
To date 13,250 learners registered for
accreditation while 11,042 learners
completed – all accreditations have had a
drug & alcohol component
1999
OY commences drug & alcohol service delivery in
Hydebank YOC
1st Voluntary Sector organisation to provide this
service within the prison estate
QUB – Dept of Criminology (O’Mahony, D. 2003)
• Use of drugs within the centre decreases by 19%
• Access and availability of support and advice
increases by 25%
• Increase in information on drugs and adverse
effects by 17%
1999
Vital Voices – Hillary Clinton Initiative
Lift practice seen in Chicago Therapeutic Mentoring
1st Voluntary Sector organisation to
deliver mentoring in this way
2001
OY offered the opportunity to deliver
therapeutic mentoring as an
intervention to engage and motivate
young people to change behaviour in
relation to their drug & alcohol use
1st adolescent drug & alcohol
treatment service in Northern Ireland is
piloted
CHILL...
CHILL Evaluation (Courtney, R. 2004)
The client survey provided considerable evidence that major
improvements were brought about by the CHILL service.
Of particular significance are the following:
• 100% Decrease in the number who missed 7 or more days
at school or work due to substance abuse in the previous 4
weeks
• 100% Decrease in weekly spending on solvents
• 99% Decrease in the number of times clients overdid it on
drugs
• 95% Decrease in the number engaging in vandalism
• 94% Decrease in the number joy-riding
• 90% Decrease in dangerous activities
• 87% Decrease in number of days per week inhaling
solvents
• 85% Decrease in amount of money spent on
alcohol each week
• 77% Decrease in the number engaging in theft
• 76% Decrease in the number of days clients take
drugs per week
• 76% Decrease in the number of clients in trouble
at school/work due to alcohol/drugs/solvents
• 75% Decrease in the number having unprotected
sex
• 73% Decrease in the number who described
their health as poor or very poor
• 72% Decrease in the number of days clients
overdid it on alcohol
• 65% Decrease in being a victim of violence when
taking alcohol/drugs/solvents
• 60% Decrease in level of violence when taking
alcohol/drugs/solvents
• 59% Decrease in risk-taking in past 4 weeks
• 58% Decrease in anger/aggression when taking
alcohol/drugs/solvents
• 58% Decrease in the number of days clients overdid it
on solvents in past 4 weeks
• 56% Increase in the number who had not felt low or
depressed in past 4 weeks
• 55% Decrease in number of clients with high or very
high anxiety in past 4 weeks
• 49% Increase in good confidence/self-esteem
The impact of Mentoring as an intervention is
highlighted as statistically significant in 3
important areas:
Reducing the frequency of young people
overdoing it on alcohol
Reducing the number of days that young
people take drugs
Reducing the money that young people spend
on alcohol
2003
OY commence the delivery of the 1st alcohol and drugs
throughcare service for young offenders in NI
QUB – Dept Criminology (O’Mahony, D. & Chapman, T.,
2005)
Sample: 138 young people aged 18-21years
 2% of participants claimed to have given up drinking
alcohol post-release.
 Over two fifths of participants (44%) had reduced the
amount of alcohol they consumed
 Only 15% of participants said they were drinking more
 Over one third of participants (38%, compared with 67%
of pre-release participants) often went on drinking binges
 One third of participants (33%) said their key worker had
helped them reduce their alcohol consumption
2006
Procurement of drug and alcohol
services commences...
CHILL expands from Belfast &
South Eastern Trust areas to
Western Trust area
2008
Procurement of drug and alcohol
services develops...
Opportunity Youth with partners develop
the 1st multi-component intervention
treatment service for young people
offering mentoring, counselling, family
support, systemic family therapy and
therapeutic groupwork
DAISY....
DAISY Highlights:
98% reported positive changes in their
lives
86% demonstrated a reduction in alcohol
use
79% demonstrated a reduction in drug
use
98% reported an overall positive change
in their family
2009
SETrust become responsible for
Healthcare in Prisons and procure drug &
alcohol treatment services
OY develop the 1st multi-component
intervention treatment service for young
people and adults in prison offering core
harm reduction, brief interventions,
mentoring, counselling, therapeutic
groupwork, pre release and family
support.
AD:EPT...
AD:EPT Highlights:
95% reported a positive change in their
lives
80% reported a reduction in their drug
use
97% stated they would recommend
AD:EPT to others in a similar position
61% stated that they would change their
alcohol alcohol behaviours on release
2012
Opportunity Youth successfully apply to
BIG’s Impact of Alcohol Fund
OY develop the 1st shared care dual
diagnosis model of service delivery for
young people in Northern Ireland
CAMHS/DAAMHS support the work of
DAISY in the Belfast Trust area
‘Change is the law of life and those who
look only to the past or present are
certain to miss the future.’
John F. Kennedy
The Future...
Keen to continue to lead and
develop innovative practice based
on continuous learning
Recently tendered for One Stop
Shop initiative – awaiting outcome
Completed 2nd stage application to
BIG’s Impact of Alcohol regional
awards – awaiting outcome
Continuing to offer holistic
services to all – which will ALWAYS
include an alcohol & drug input