Project: Preventing drug use and addiction in Smolyan (DRUGstop)
Fund for Bilateral Relations at National Level under the EEA FM and NFM 2009-2014
Priority 1: Knowledge exchange in combating drugs and organized crime, children and youth at risk
Projectname: Preventing drug use and addiction in Smolyan (DRUGstop)
Beneficiary: Regional Health Inspectorate (RHI) Smolyan
Project partner/s:EVRIS Foundation ses
Total project budget:30000.00 EUR
Project duration: June 12th, 2015 up to June 11th 2016
Project objective: The main project objective is exchange of experience and the best practices for effective drug prevention among youth in the Smolyan Region. The following specific objectives are envisaged:
to observe the specific situation in the region of Smolyan and to implement the best practices for solving the identified problems by:
- development of "Smolyan Solution" - a strategy for the drug prevention;
- increasing the capacity of professionals from RHI Smolyan and other state institutions in preventing of the drug use;
- strengthening the partnership between both partners’ institutions;
- construction and development of relations between Bulgarian and Icelandic partners;
- increasing the awareness about the use of drugs and its consequences.
Short project description:
Following a joint study of the problem of drug usage among youth in Smolyan region, the Icelandic experts will draw up an action plan and provide the RHI with tools which have proven to be useful in Iceland when combating drugs and when educating youth about the harm of substance usage.
The project includes three stages.
During the first stage, the RHI will do a survey where young people's attitudes towards substance usage, is measured. Based on the results of this study, as well as available data and questions posed from Evris's experts, the two partners will jointly examine the current situation in Smolyan when it comes to the problem of drug usage and attitudes towards drug usage of youth in Smolyan region.
Within the second stage the two partners have analysed the landscape and identified the main challenges, Evris' experts will work on developing a strategy, taking into account the specific challenges in Smolyan region, based on best practices from Iceland. This strategy, based on a peer education ideology will be introduced and discussed during a visit of the Icelandic experts to Bulgaria. Possible obstacles and challenges will be discussed and examined further and the strategy will be tailored to meet those challenges. Appropriate preventionmethodologies will be discussed based on best practices in Iceland given the region's particular needs. The strategy “Smolyan solution” will be accepted and approved for application.
In the third stage, experts from RHI Smolyan will visit the partner in Iceland. The aim of the visit is to "train the trainers". The study visit to Iceland will be followed by a training sessions for other experts/multipliers, who will work on implementing the "Smolyan solution" it in Bulgaria.
There are number of actions for serving the information to the stakeholders, as press-releases, press-conferences, a WEB link about the project will be designed and brochures about the project will be printed. A common project team will be responsible for the overall project implementation.
Expected project results:
Identification of the specific needs and challenges in the region in relation to the drug use;
Offering of a strategy for the drug prevention in Smolyan region;
Trained experts in preventing the drug use;
Strengthening the local partnership and bilateral relations with Iceland;
Contact information:
Mimi Kubateva, MD - Project manager, +35930163293,rzi_smolyan@mbox.contact.bg, http://www.rzi-smolyan.com/
