DAAP Volunteer Training

Download the Volunteer Application Form: (41KB) Word | (4KB) PDF

DAAP's tenth volunteer training took place on 5th and 6th October 2011.

15 participants from diverse backgrounds completed the training that addressed equality, diversity, drug and alcohol misuse, drug, alcohol and Khat education as well as impact of crime on individuals and communities.

Five volunteers attended an additional day on 13th October on supporting users and carers appropriately.

The 2005 Volunteer Training Programme took place on 10th and 11th August 2005 and on 27th and 28th September 2005. Twenty participants completed two days and seventeen volunteers completed four days.

A follow up day is planned. The training aims and objectives which compiled with DANOS standards were as follows:

Aims and objectives

The aim of the training is to raise participants’ awareness about drugs issues, the needs of diverse communities, child protection and equality and diversity issues.

Objectives

To provide a historical context of drug use
Develop knowledge about the current Government Drugs Strategy
Develop Knowledge of different drugs and drug services
Address associated risks (legal, health and social)
Consider legal issues connected with drugs
Consider child protection issues
View drug education resources in different languages

DANOS (Drug and Alcohol National Occupational Standards)

AD - Educate people about substance use, health and social well-being

AD1 Raise awareness about substances, their use and effects

Summary
Raise awareness about substances (drugs and alcohol), the use of substances and the effects of substances. The awareness raising may be with children and young people, or with other people who need to know about substances e.g. because they use substances themselves, have friends or family who use or may use substances, or work on a formal or informal basis with individuals who use substances

AD2 Facilitate learning through presentations and activities

Summary
Need to identify individual needs and preferred learning styles (the ways of learning individuals find most effective and stimulating), plan and deliver presentations, and facilitate follow-up exercises or activities to reinforce learning

AD3 Facilitate group learning

Summary
Need to identify where group work is appropriate to learning, set up learning groups, identify and manage group dynamics and power balances, and facilitate group activities

AD4 Develop and disseminate information and advice about substance use, health and social well-being

Summary
For this unit you need to develop a range of information and advice materials to promote substance misuse services, and raise awareness of substance use, health and social well-being

AA - Help individuals access substance misuse services

AA3 Support individuals to access and use services and facilities

Summary
Support individuals to access and use services and facilities
AA4 Promote the equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities of individuals

Summary
Expected to encourage other workers to adhere to the values you demonstrate and support individuals to recognise their own, and the equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities of others.

Promoting Equality and Diversity

Aim of the session

The training session aims to develop and extend participants knowledge and understanding of legislation, diversity, communication and cultural issues essential in promoting equality and diversity

Learning outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

Understand how prejudice, discrimination, institutional discrimination and harassment may occur in the policy and delivery framework of an organisation
Be aware of key equality legislation and its impact on the organisation’s core functions
Demonstrate an awareness of how individual values, attitudes and behaviour impact on inter-personal communication and on the organisation’s strategic development
Be able to consider best practice in relation to the equalities agenda

Session programme

Understanding the concepts of and drivers for Equality and Diversity
Value Systems and cultural frameworks
Communication styles and cross cultural communication issues
Language, terminology and stereotyping
Understanding the nature of prejudice, discrimination, institutional discrimination and harassment
Introduction to Equality Legislation
Identifying best practice in relation to promoting community cohesion

Evaluation from participants

I learnt so much. I did not know about other cultures and how much I did not know till today
So much knowledge and development for us. Thank you to Perminder for making it so good!
I must work actively for my community now- thanks to DAAP
I am rearing to go
I learnt so much about myself, what I thought I knew!

Experience of a German student

My name is Abraham Smailus and I am a student in Germany studying social work with main interest in drug issues. I was doing my practical training at the West London YMCA in August and as part of this was visiting various organisations in Ealing.

I was invited to visit DAAP and attend one day of the volunteer training. I enjoyed the first day so much that I attended for two days. I learnt so much:

Drug awareness and drug issues is a matter for all of us, for every community, religion and culture and the problems that arise with drug misuse should be faced and not hidden by all generations e.g. parents, teachers and all other members of the community.
Therefore the DAAP volunteer training, even if someone is not an active volunteer is still of great value and importance for self development
Knowledge and information about different types of drugs and drug services, the historical context, government drugs strategy, associated risks, legal issues connected with drugs and child protection issues
Disseminating drug education to diverse communities

All together I learned so much more about other peoples’ views and ideas that helped me to look at things differently. The unity in the group was absolutely great and I got to know so many new people. There were people there who cared for their communities and who were interested in finding a way to cope with this matter, even personal addiction. There were people who wanted to make a change and who wanted to arise awareness about the drug issues.

Not only was the unity in the group fantastic… the food was amazing. I loved it and even learnt new recipes. I can only advice anyone who knows about people that take drugs or who are involved OR are interested and care about their community to take part in this course! And no matter in which God you believe in or none at all, the subject about drugs should be important to all of us! Please don’t look away!

Abraham Smailus
Germany