Community Action On Youth & Drugs Step Up the Campaign Against Illicit Drugs

Media Release

8 June 2005

Community Action On Youth & Drugs Step Up the Campaign Against Illicit Drugs

The Community Action on Youth and Drugs (CAYAD) nationwide initiative aimed at addressing youth and drug issues steps up a gear in Ngaruawahia today with a three-day national training workshop jointly hosted by Hamilton based Te Ahurei a Rangatahi and the Ministry of Health.

Around 50 workers and health professionals are expected to attend the CAYAD workshop to be held at the Waikato Tainui Endowment College 8 – 10 June 2005.

Chair of the Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy, Minister Jim Anderton will address workshop delegates from 21 sites earmarked for special attention in the fight against illicit and other drug use and abuse.

Te Ahurei a Rangatahi project worker, Major Tahapehi says, the planned workshops are examples of how effective use can be made of local expertise to solve a national problem. Major Tahapehi and fellow project worker, Ngaire Dixon, have community roles and responsibilities in cultural and sporting activities. They will bring their ideas and views on how to combat illicit and other drug use in Huntly and Morrinsville.

Dr Paul Bohmer, Northern Operations Manager for Public Health Operations says, “The CAYAD project arose in response to major problems associated with drugs and young people”.

“CAYAD attempts to bridge the gap between research and practice to improve health and well-being,” he says. “This unique initiative utilises evidence- based research and formative evaluation alongside a combined community action and kaupapa Maori approach, to strengthen communities and address youth and drug issues in their community context.”

This entails community action project workers, the communities and the researchers working together.

Dr Bohmer says, “While community action projects have demonstrated good results in the alcohol arena, this approach had previously been little used in the illicit drugs field in New Zealand”.

“The CAYAD programme demonstrates an holistic and innovative approach to working with young people whereby drug education is an integral part of youth activities rather than being dealt with in isolation and beyond the reality and context of their culture”.

Note: The Community Action on Youth and Drugs (CAYAD) project is a collaborative partnership between communities and researchers from Massey University Social Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation and its Maori partner Whariki.

It builds on the strengths of each partner using local knowledge and experience, research information and critical feedback to address youth and alcohol and drug issues. The community action process that has emerged through this project evolved from a community development and Maori world-view model.

Formative evaluation produces information that is useful for planning, refining and improving the programme as it is designed and implemented. An important part of formative evaluation is developing clear programme goals, objectives and strategies.