Peer2Peer aims to reinforce the capacity of outreach CSOs to reduce drug demand, by recovering and upscaling the European heritage on cooperation between peers and professionals, outreach workers, small-scale drug dealers and law enforcement. This project comprises internationally recognized research, social intervention and advocacy institutions from Europe, gathered to increase the project’s impact.
- To mitigate gaps in scientific literature regarding formal and informal cooperation between key actors in outreach interventions addressing people who use psychoactive substances (PUPS);
- To validate the effectiveness of cooperative practices in outreach work through case studies at a local level;
- To advocate for the upscaling of evidence-based cooperative practices in outreach interventions, especially the integration of peer educators (PE). The active participation of different key actors will promote the upscaling of European heritage and the advocacy function of CSOs;
- To develop dissemination strategies targeting a large audience, maximising the project impact by raising the general public’s awareness of the need to develop more effective approaches to support PUPS.
2019
- Partners kick-off meeting in Porto to discuss overall project activities and the research component of the project;
- Needs assessment focus group was conducted in Lithuania (8 participants) with the main stakeholders ;
- Prepared content analysis based on the needs assessment focus group;
- Lithuania National Report was prepared based on analysis of national legal acts;
- Mid-term partners meeting was held in Amsterdam to discuss results of the research and continuation of the project;
- Study visit to Antwerp (Belgium) was organised to learn from partner best practices (C-buddy project, night-shelters, housing projects);
2020
- Organized and conducted 2nd Focus group in Lithuania to discuss with national steakholders the empirical applicability of the data produced in the WP2 [Research], namely the conclusions from the Scoping Review and the Go-Along Interviews. After that Content analysis was prepared and sent to partners for the development of final report.
- On 25-27th September PEER2PEER training was organized in Lithuania, based on the developed training manual. 16 participants, who are peers from NGO “Young Wave” took part in the training.
- Training manual translated into Lithuanian language.
- Discussion Forum “Involvement of peers and outreach workers into the provision of the harm reduction services in the nightlife settings” in Vilnius was organized on 8th 17 participants took part in it: 3 – policy makers/ decision makers; 2 – public health institution representatives; 2 – harm reduction service providers for people who inject drugs; 3 – harm reduction service providers for people who use drugs in for recreational purposes; 4 – NGOs representatives (working in advocacy field); 3 – nightlife settings representatives.
- Discussion Forum “Involvement of peers and outreach workers into the provision of the harm reduction services” in Kaunas was organized on 20th 12 participants took part in it: 1 – detention centre representative; 1 – housing/ temporary accommodation services representative; 2 – policy makers/ decision makers; 3 – public health institution representatives; 3 – harm reduction service providers for people who use drugs (low threshold services); 2 – NGOs representatives (working in advocacy field).
- National Dialogue meeting (Virtual national advocacy seminar “Harm reduction in Lithuania: where we are and where we are moving forward?”) in Lithuania was organized on 26-27 November. Event was attended by Lithuania low-threshold service providers, NGOs, community, as well by governmental institutions representatives from the Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control department, Ministry of Health and National Public Health Centre with 35 participants.
- Pilot intervention was implemented. Aim of it to promote community health by enabling the young population in festivals and recreational settings to manage their drug use and related risks in a proper, well-informed way which fits into their life’s concepts. It was implemented by “Young Wave”, with the support from EHRA. It lasted from July to November 2020.
- Subtitles into Lithuanian language made for the video on Peer2Peer.
- Participation in the European Advisory Group online meetings to share best practices and to discuss transferable methods regarding formal and informal cooperation between key-actors in outreach interventions addressing PUPS. During the meetings Guiding Principles in cooperation practises in outreach work were developed, as well as Policy Recommendations were designed.
Countries covered by project: Portugal, Greece, Poland, Lithuania, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Hungary
Project timeline: March 2019 – October 2020
Overall budget:43,378 EUR
Project donor: European Commission
Contact person: Eliza Kurcevic
Related materials
Guiding principles in cooperation practices in outreach work
This document contains good practices of cooperation experiences between Peers and professionals, outreach workers, small-scale drug dealers and law enforcement officials, in particular by highlighting the importance of peer educator’s integration in outreach work with People Who Use Drugs.
Training Program Manual
The goal of the training is to improve the capacity of civil society organisations working in the field of drugs in addressing cooperation between different stakeholders.
Mokymų programos vadovas
Mokymų tikslas pagerinti pilietinės visuomenės organizacijų gebėjimus narkotikų srityje, o ypač adresuoti bendradarbiavimą tarp skirtingų suinteresuotųjų šalių.