Awareness week promotes impact of drugs and alcohol

A drug and alcohol task force will be holding an awareness week beginning on October 14.

Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force (CDATF) will be hosting their awareness week until October 18 and will host a wide variety of events and activities for the whole community.

The aim of the week is to promote awareness of the impact of drugs and alcohol and build awareness of the support services in Clondalkin.

Together with Tallaght Drug and Alcohol Task Force and Sláintecare Healthy Communities, CDATF have an area wide Vaping Awareness Campaign taking place.

Thought-provoking posters will be displayed at bus shelters, shops and cafés that highlight the impact vaping has on people’s mental health, physical health, the environment, and finances.

For the young people in the community, CDATF plan to test their general knowledge and attitude towards vaping with lively table quizzes taking place in Clondalkin, Ronanstown and Lucan Youth Services, while primary schools in Neilstown will explore healthy life choices.

Keeping with the theme of vaping awareness, workshops will explore what positive choices young people can make for their future selves.

Links to the Vaping Awareness Campaign can be found HERE.

For those who may have occasion to ask people about their drug and alcohol use, SAOR Screening and Brief Intervention training will take place on Monday October 14.

This full day training is open to individuals from a diverse range of settings including acute care settings, mental health services, community-based drugs services, child and family services, homeless agencies, family support, third level colleges and sporting organisations.

Places are limited and to book this four-step brief intervention please email education@cdatf.ie .

Thursday October 17 will see the launch of a new piece of research commissioned by CDATF.

Building an Interagency Family Support Network by Deborah O’Neill and Dany El Amin explores the family support initiatives and developments within Clondalkin and explores opportunities to enhance the existing interagency family support in the area.

Barry Cullen, author of The Harm Done, Community and Drugs in Dublin will speak of the importance of family support and the event will include a Q & A with both Barry and Deborah.

This promises to be an engaging event, allowing for exploration on how we can support families even more in the future.

For more information on any of these events please contact prevention@cdatf.ie .