New Poster on Safe Disposal of Drug Paraphernalia as part of the “Duck, Dive & Survive” Campaign.

If you would like copies posted to you please email your postal address to info@aldp.ie

Read the full article to find out more about the Peer Support Group and the new posters…

The Ana Liffey Drug Projects Peer Support Group is a well established programme designed to enable active drug users to spread Harm Reduction messages throughout the drug using community. The programme is set out over an eight week period and involves two morning sessions a week – Tuesday and Friday. The sessions include group work, outside speakers and talks from staff members on key drug issues. The course recognises the reality of the lifestyles of people who actively use drugs. The structure has been designed to be very flexible – participants have input into the topics to be covered, and the group is open access. The Peer Support Group also plays a valuable role in informing Ana Liffey's service delivery, through their 'Duck, Dive & Survive' resources. In 2009, Peer Support Group resources won a health literacy award.

Towards the end of 2009 the Ana Liffey raised the issue of unsafe disposal of drug paraphernalia at a number of forums including the Peer Support Group. The Peer Support Group was concerned that people who did not dispose of their works appropriately were putting other people at risk. With this in mind the group were invited to work on a poster as part of their 'Duck, Dive & Survive' campaign. The intention of the campaign is:

– To raise awareness about the importance of safe disposal of drug paraphernalia.
– To open up the conversation on safe disposal of drug paraphernalia within the services where drug use is taking place (this can often be a good tool in establishing that drug use is an issue for an individual and can act as a conduit to positive change).
– To reduce the risk of needle stick injury.

Facilitated by Ana Liffey Project Workers JM Burr and Dawn Russell, the group identified that they would need a poster which was snappy, to the point and that caught the person's eye. A member of the Peer Support Group came up with the slogan “IF YOU BANG IT, BIN IT!”; Based around the term “Banging up”, which refers to the practice of injecting illicit drugs, this slogan was accepted as an effective and simple message for the poster campaign. The design of the poster went through the usual process of 'design, feedback, design and sign off' and we are all very happy with the end result.

We have begun circulating the posters and we hope that the posters will be placed in emergency accommodation, day services, drug services, information advice services, etc. If you would like copies posted to you please email your postal address to info@aldp.ie.