CDATF Conference 2018
Reclaiming Community Development as an Effective Response to Drug Harms, Policy Harms, Poverty and inequality
In 2015, mindful of the significant changes in the local and national context the CDATF commissioned a piece of research to assess the changes in drug trends and drug related harms; analyse the changes in the economic and policy environment, assess the impact of the introduction of austerity policies and inform its future strategic planning.
The research study ‘Drug Harms, Policy Harms, Poverty and Inequality’ (O’Gorman, 2016) was launched at the CDATF national conference in April 2016. The first and most important implication of the research findings for the CDATF strategic planning process was the impossibility of responding to drug and alcohol misuse in isolation and it demonstrated the strong links between drug and alcohol misuse and a range of other factors, most of these being associated with poverty and inequality. The report made the case that government policies were themselves adding to problems rather than addressing them and crucially, significant emphasis was placed on the need to rebuild the community and partnership based model that has effectively been dismantled.
In July 2017 the Government published its new National Drugs Strategy ‘Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery’ a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017 – 2015’. The New Strategy recognised that partnership working between the statutory, community and voluntary sectors was a major factor in the success of the previous National Drugs Strategies and outlined the key role of DATF’s in coordinating interagency action at local level.
Against this background in 2017 the CDATF engaged in a strategic planning process involving a range of stakeholders in the Clondalkin community including those providing services. The aims of this year’s CDATF conference is to launch the CDATF strategic plan 2018 – 2025 ‘Reclaiming Community Development as an Effective Response to Drug Harms, Policy Harms, Poverty and Inequality’
The conference will also provide the opportunity for key stakeholders to
Discuss the key issues and challenges facing the community/voluntary sector in the current social, political and economic context.
Explore ways of demonstrating the value and effectiveness of community development approaches in responding to drug harms policy harms, poverty and inequality.
See Conference Programme attached below.
Date and Time: Thursday 1 March 2018, 09:30 – 15:00
Location: Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Naas Rd, D22 X5N7 Newlands Cross
Tickets available here
Source: Clondalkin Drug & Alcohol Task Force, 2018.
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