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Engaging young people who use
drugs in developing youth friendly harm reduction programs
Yamina Sara Chekroun US International Working Group
Representative, Youth RISE
International AIDS Conference – July 22nd 2012
TRIP! was founded in 1995,
by partiers,
for partiers!
What do we do?
Bag and Booth Harm Reduction Outreach
Festivals Advocacy Blogging & Social
Media Creation of New
Literature Multimedia Design Volunteer Trainings &
Workshops Community-Based
Research
Who We Serve
The majority of youth respondents (46.2%) are under 19, with triple the rates of drug use of general youth population
44% of TRIP! respondents identified as LGBTQ (33% bi-sexual, 8.8% gay and 3% identifying as transgendered)
9% of TRIP! respondents identifying as homeless, under housed or transient
71.3% identified their use as casual/non-problematic
70% first trying drugs between ages 12-16, with the average age being 13
43% of survey respondents indicated they experience negative health effects from their drug use
Why is TRIP! important?
Research shows that, next to the internet, TRIP! is the most trusted source of information on drugs, sex and high-risk activities; while schools, media and family come in last!
Outcomes for Volunteers
Better knowledge about the safer drug use (98%)
Better knowledge about safer sex (80%)
Access to Safer Use Kits(43%)
Building a sense of community – caring for each other (78%)
Referrals to other supports and services (55%)
Work experience and connections to employment possibilities (35%)
Emerging Challenges
47% of TRIP! Youth surveyed reported having unprotected sex, with 24% reporting having sex with multiple partners
21% of youth drug users reported sharing straws
9% identified as injection drug users , with 3% saying that they planned to try it in the near future
Our Approach
We can never stop the use of drugs, but we CAN keep people safe
Drug use is a health issue, not a legal one
Non-judgmental education approach based on facts, not opinions/morals
Providing information (for and by youth drug users) so that users can make their own informed choices
Conclusions
Harm reduction peer education is an effective strategy for preventing harms related to drug use
By engaging youth in a innovate harm reduction program such as the TRIP! Project, we allow them to have conversations about HIV prevention, safer sex while reducing the harms associated with drugs.
It is imperative that governments & policy makers work to support harm reduction programs that reach young people who use drugs, not just abstinence campaigns that too often ignore the reality that youth face today.
Keep in touch!
• www.tripproject.ca•Purerave.com - tripproject•Facebook.com/tripproject•Twitter.com/tripproject•Email us at [email protected]