Stop AIDS - humanitarian association







 

Click here for information on a three year Aids and drug prevention project sponsored by ICCO, the Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation.


Drop-in Center (supported by UNFPA Albania):
•

keep contacts or set new contacts, socialize with others
• read books or play games
• learn computer or have access to Internet
• learn foreign languages
• Share experience on drug use and on specific cases
• Have a chat or a cup of tea
• Condom and needle distribution
• Non formal training
• Leisure and sport activities
• Informal and formal training for peers
Experiences from drop-in Centers combined with outreach work are very positive. Aksion Plus believes that the drop-in Center will bring lasting results and other useful benefits to the drug using population in Tirana. This Center will be the first place exclusively for drug users where they can stay with each other, play, be involve in activities, exchange experiences, support each other and learn new things and gain new skills.

Objectives:
1.

Setting up a Drop-in Center for DU s, operating in three levels:
  - Social
- Recreational
- Therapeutical
- Medical
2. DU s will be divided in three groups:
  - Active DU s that is not willing to change his/her situation
- DU s that are willing to make changes concerning their drug using status
- DU s that are willing to participate in the rehabilitation program
3. Link the activities with other projects, organizations or networks
4. Provide information to the drug users and to their parents
5. Build skills of drug users in many aspects
6. Prepare publications (flyers, posters, brochures and other handouts for drug users)
7. Protect the human right of drug users that are often encroached by the police
Outcomes or the impact:
Drop in Centers are very good models that are being used in other countries in the region: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary etc.
We have had many requests from drug users to open such activities here as part of the harm reduction center. They don’t want to be treated as drug users alone, they don’t need needles and other similar stuff – they need affection, good company, care & support and a lot of activities in order to fill their tremendous time gap.
Sport can help a lot and we are going to organize a lot of sport activities, non formal activities, computer and Internet skills, a library with books will also be of a great help for them.
A chat or an exchange of ideas will help them to handle their problems, avoid the overdose, lapse prevention will be promoted, referral to other services when needed, informal and formal training, counseling and group therapy will be extended to other groups as well.
Aksion Plus will work very closely with parents as an important element in the life of a drug users. They often loose all the contacts with the family and they find themselves in a desperate situation.
Aksion Plus social workers will address this issue. We expect that drug users will be more open, came out and more involved in these activities to bring about lasting changes in their lives.
We also expect that they will initiate their own activities as well as empowered and with more skills, especially vocational skills (the last element belongs to the next phase of this Center but basic elements will be introduced through language and computer courses).

The Drop in Center will also be a very good model for other donors to support the future existence of this Center.


  
Drop in Center (outreach activities with Roma drug users)