The Haysbrook Centre.

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The Centres aim is to develop a community based stratergy and local interventions capable of addressing problems in Little Hulton.

This works at two levels: -

• Working with drug users.
• Working with the community.

Little Hulton Community Drugs Intervention Project.

Working with Drug Users.

Peer Research conducted in the locality has added to evidence from workers and concerns expressed by residents, which indicates the extent and characteristics of drug use in the locality.

The community based approach enables services to develop co-ordinated local responses to local problems.

Interventions include :- Needle exchange, drop in, interventions aimed at preventing the initiation into injecting, overdose prevention, advice, information and advocacy, (tier 2), targeted outreach work, volunteering options for ex users, easy access day care provision and women only provision.

The community drug worker acts as a focal and co-ordinating point for work undertaken in the locality and a link into the community based and local agencies. The worker plays a central role in artuculating concerns and making suggestions to drug services and the DAT about improving multi-agency responses to drug use in the area.

One forum for this work is the existing steering group for the Project. Salford Drug Service are key partners in this work. Specific areas of collaboration include young people, stimulant users, clients in treatment with additional or complex needs and the prevention of blood borne viruses.

Working with the Community.

The project works closely with agencies, locality workers and resident groups and the DAT to to develop local responses that reduce the negative impact of drug misuse in the community. There is much evidence that efforts to re-intergrate drug users into society are effective in reducing drug misuse and related problems as part part of the holistic 'treatment' package.

Drug use in Little Hulton, as elsewhere, is clearly linked to other social problems. drug use is a cause and effect of social exclusion. The community development worker helps to ensure that drugs are part of wider efforts to regenrate this disaffected community.

The community development approach seeks to develop local solutions in collaboration with agencies, projects and community groups. The work has involved identifying problems associated with drug use for the community and improving the availability of information, advice, training and prevention materials in the community.

Users and ex users, their partners, families and friends have been involved in this process.

The aim is to empower people in the community through a greater understanding, to seek seek their own solutions and build on existing strengths in tackling drugs and related problems.