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20 Years on....
Delivering innovation and developing practice to deal with
alcohol and drug issues in Northern Ireland
opportunity youth_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OY is the leading provider
of support services to
young people,
adult offenders
and their families
in Northern Ireland
opportunity youth_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OY deliver services in 3 main areas:
Health Youth Justice Employability
opportunity youth_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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
1998OY 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
1999OY 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
2001OY 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
2003OY 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
2009SETrust 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