Kenward Trust's Youth Outreach Project

An innovative approach to young people and drugs use, primarily by taking notice of what young people are saying.

Aim: To reduce drugs use by young people on their own ground, to create a space that is acceptable to them and over which they have a sense of "ownership" and to permit them to make enquiries and express their opinions in a non-coercive, non-threatening environment.

History

The Grey Zebra was started in 1996 by Kenward Trust, with financial support from West Kent Health. Originally working from a caravan it now operates from a purpose-converted Mobile Library vehicle, which is staffed by a minimum of two full-time workers and varying members of sessional workers and part-time volunteers. The vehicle carries a wide range of materials, videos (and TV), resource directories, educational games and a mobile phone for young people to use for self-referral or enquiries to other specialist services.

Because it sets out to respond to what young people feel is important to them, the unit does not deal exclusively with drug/alcohol enquiries but facilitates a range of issues relevant to young people such as health and fitness, job skills, housing queries, DSS information, safe sex education and so on.

Outreach

A fundamental principle of good and effective outreach, is that it is present at as many levels of the target audience' life, as is possible. If we are to be an effective means of communication with young people, we must be available to them, where they are. In schools for example, some young people will use the opportunity to get the information they want during classroom sessions, others will not find this the right place. For these young people, the project must be available in the playground, the youth club or in the streets of their home territory.

"It seems plausible that those most likely to be influenced by life skills programmes, are the least likely to become dysfunctional drug users in the first place". (Coggans 1998)

Schools work/ 'Drugs Education'

Opinion is divided as to what constitutes good 'drugs education'. Is it to be judged by the passing on of information in the form of 'knowledge', much like any other school subject? Or is it to be used as a tool of 'Social Engineering', the effectiveness of which is judged by how many people abstain from drug use, as a direct consequence?

Drugs 'education' in Primary Schools

"Almost 100% of under 11's are against drugs, including alcohol and tobacco." (Johoda & Crammond 1972)

Studies have shown that children of primary school age hold distinctly negative attitudes towards drugs. For the majority, adolescence, peer pressure and the onset of socialisation into an adult role, brings about an increased involvement and a reversal in attitudes.

Aim: This project will seek to promote and support the anti-drug belief system shared by the majority of young children.

Drugs 'education' in Secondary Schools

"Over 50% of 15 year olds have tried drugs" (Drugscope 2000)

The Grey Zebra aims to be available, in schools (and elsewhere) for information and discussion, at a time when young people are making important changes and decisions that will shape their future lives. We take the 'honest' approach and give information as objectively as is possible.

Aim: To make professional drug services available to young people in schools and rural areas.

We do this in the belief that young people want to make sensible choices, which are of benefit to their lives.

Peer Education - 'Cascade'

Many problems and dangers from drugs, are created by miss-information, which is passed from one to another.

"We can't talk to our parents, for fear of alarming them; we can't talk to our Doctor, because he may tell our parents; we can't talk to Teachers because they may be suspicious and think badly of us; so we end up talking to each other."

Aim: To initiate a 'bottom up' approach to drug education by stimulating questions and by the creation of a well supported and theoretically sound, Peer Education Programme.

The Grey Zebra works in schools to provide the "Cascade" peer mentor training. This is a Certificated training package, part of which requires the participants to deliver drugs education to their peers, both in formal (classroom, Assemblies, etc.) and in ad-hoc conversations. Positive media coverage is given upon successful completion of the course.

"Young People believe information given to them by their peers, in preference to almost all other sources."

Young people are also made aware of the mis-information given by adults about their drugs (alcohol/nicotine/prescribed drugs, etc).

YOUTH SERVICE: Drug Intervention Support Programme (DISP).

Kent Police Youth Crime Reductions Officers (YCROS) work in schools at a number of levels. They conduct talks in classrooms, Parents evenings, Passive drugs-dog demonstrations and so on. Despite the best efforts of all concerned, there are still young people under threat of 'exclusion' from school, for drugs possession/use. Kent Education encourages schools to have an active drugs policy, part of which is to offer attendance on a Drugs Intervention & Support Programme, as an alternative to possible exclusion or criminal record. This is a FREE service with the short programme being informative, educational, interactive and enjoyable for the participants, with on-going support if necessary.

YOUTH SERVICE: Alcohol Intervention Support Programme (ASP).

Concerns relating to alcohol misuse by young people, have been expressed throughout the County by a wide range of statutory, non-statutory, private and voluntary organisations. In an effort to address the concerns and assist young people experiencing alcohol-related problems, positive-thinking local authorities have funded a pilot project administered and delivered by the Kenward Trust. The Alcohol Intervention Support Programme, meets young people on their own terms and assists them to deal with issues and problems relating to the misuse of alcohol. Again, this is a FREE service with the short programme being informative, educational, interactive and enjoyable for the participants, with on-going support if necessary.

For referrals or more information on the DISP and ASP initiatives, contact the Kenward Trust Grey Zebra Project by email greyzebra@kenwardtrust.org.uk or call the DISP/ASP Co-ordinator on 01622 817820

YOUTH SERVICE: Families and Carers Substance Misuse Support Services (FACSS).

Funded by the Kent Drug and Alcohol Action Team (KDAAT) and in a close working association with other partners, the Kenward Trust delivers the Families and Carers Substance Misuse Support Services (FACSS). Operated by Kenward’s innovative Grey Zebra Youth Outreach Project, FACSS perfectly complements the existing County-wide Drug Intervention Support Programme (DISP) and the Alcohol Intervention Support Programme (ASP), both administered and delivered by the Grey Zebra. FACSS offers FREE, practical help, advice and information to those who feel anxious that young people within the family are misusing alcohol and other drugs. The FACCS team will also direct people to the appropriate services available in their local area needed for the individual, FACSS has a special telephone Helpline 01622 817777 with confidentiality being paramount. Click here for more information.

Rural Village Work

Making Specialist Information and Support available to Young People in Villages and Schools.

Information from a variety of research projects, has shown that there are identifiable groups of young people who cannot easily access the current specialist services. When they do use these services, they complain that the facilities are not geared to their needs. The mixing of young enquirers with other established drug users, is highly undesirable.

Working closely with existing youth services and local Parish and Borough Councils, the unit makes a series of 10 to 12 scheduled visits on one evening in each week, specifically planned for each community.

The Wider Community

The Grey Zebra supports a number of Community initiatives, which give a higher profile to the problems associated with alcohol and other drugs. This also serves to inform the public of what is being done to combat these problems.

The Grey Zebra mobile unit features at various county functions such as the Kent Show, International Drugs Conferences, Safety in Action Events and other public occasions and is also prominent in delivering training to a wide variety of community and social groups, such as youth clubs, scouts, Cadet Training Corps, parents and so on.

Counselling

In the event that young people need further consistent counselling, the Grey Zebra youth counsellor is available to continue contact. As with other parts of the Grey Zebra service, this is conducted as a confidential relationship, within professional guidelines.

Research

The Grey Zebra project is firmly rooted in relevant and up to date research and was itself the subject of external research for the first two years of operation. This took the form of 'active research' in which the independent research team observed and 'interviewed' the young people, during the operation of the project and then fed back into the staff team, those findings that might suggest a different approach or confirmation of existing practices. This research is available from Neil Hunt at University of Kent at Canterbury, or from Kenward Trust.

The Grey Zebra Project was conceived in 1996 by Kenward Trust and is part of the Kent Drug Action Team initiative for "Tackling Drugs Together". It is supported by Voluntary organisations; the Safer Kent Initiative; KCC Education; Social Services and Youth & Community departments, the Police; West Kent Health; Maidstone, Tonbridge & Malling, Dartford & Gravesham and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils and West Kent Health Care NHS Trust. Part of the Communities Against Drugs strategy.

The Grey Zebra Team can be contacted on: 01622 817820.