29/11/24 - Community leaders call for prevention and early intervention focus at NSW Drug Summit

Over 30 leaders from community, health, Aboriginal and research organisations are calling on the NSW Government to prioritise prevention and early intervention on the agenda at next week’s Drug Summit in Sydney.

In an open letter to all members of NSW Parliament, representatives from organisations including the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies, Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Residential Rehabilitation Network, NSW Council of Social Service and the Matilda Centre said the Summit should include a holistic strategy that prioritises resources for prevention and early intervention, including:

• Increasing the number and capacity of NSW communities participating in place-based prevention of AOD related harm.  
• Developing and implementing targeted information and behaviour change programs and support for young people and their families.

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s CEO, Dr Erin Lalor AM, emphasised that while harm reduction and treatment are essential, a successful approach to addressing drug harm requires a proactive and balanced strategy.

“Prevention efforts, especially those led by communities, play a powerful role in reducing harmful drug use by tackling the root causes at a local level,” Dr Lalor said.

“By investing in targeted programs, particularly for at-risk groups like youth in disadvantaged communities, we not only improve individual wellbeing, but also generate significant returns for our health and social systems—every dollar invested in prevention returns approximately $14.

“Early intervention and support for parents and families is also critical to reducing drug harms. By addressing issues early, we significantly lower the risk of long-term harm—not just for individuals, but for their support networks.”

A recent Alcohol and Drug Foundation survey found almost 90 per cent of participants with a high-risk of experiencing drug harms wanted to change their use and the majority (85%) tried self-help, and/or wanted informal support from family and friends (71% and 66%, respectively).

“Providing access to tools and resources that facilitate behaviour change, while also helping parents and families play an active role in this, is critical in reducing harms from drugs,” Dr Lalor added.

The Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies’ CEO, Dr Robert Stirling, reinforced that prevention activities delivered by and with communities are effective in responding to local needs.

“While prevention is a priority for government, there are few non-government alcohol and other drug services that receive specific funding to undertake prevention activities in their local communities, or with the populations they work with,” Dr Stirling said. 

An example of successful place-based early intervention is the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s Local Drug Action Team program, which supports communities to identify and tackle alcohol and other drug concerns specific to their location. As part of the program, Real8, run by Street Industries and partners including the Western Sydney Wanderers, is using sport to engage at-risk youth in the southwest of Sydney.

“In the Real8 program, young people from marginalised and underserved communities share their challenges and help shape our initiatives. This ensures those who fall through the gaps of mainstream services are heard and supported,” Street Industries Founder, Samey Minkara said.

"When we first began our LDAT work, we saw a clear gap in access to positive role models and recreational activities for young people, especially due to cultural and financial barriers. Our focus has been on bridging these gaps to encourage more social and recreational engagement in these communities.

“From this need, 'Street Sports' was created – a program that uses community sports to engage young people, educate them about alcohol and other drugs, and connect them with additional services and resources.

“The impacts have been powerful—greater health awareness, increased confidence in decision-making, a reduction in antisocial behaviour, and higher school attendance.

“Mainstream services often fall short, but locally led programs like ours fill the gap by providing a safe, inclusive space where young people can develop social skills, strengthen community ties, build resilience, and learn about the risks of alcohol and drug use from people who truly understand them.”

The full list of signatories to the open letter can be found here. 

-ENDS-

Media contact: Mikayla Wearne, 0430 948 380 or media@adf.org.au.

BACKGROUNDER:

About the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF): 

The ADF is Australia’s leading organisation committed to inspiring positive change and delivering evidence-based approaches to minimise alcohol and other drug (AOD) harm. As an evidence-based organisation, the ADF has a key strategic focus on ‘knowing what works’ and aims to build the knowledge base and understanding of effective AOD harm minimisation policies and programs.

About the Local Drug Action Team (LDAT) program:

The LDAT program fosters partnerships in communities across Australia, helping build knowledge and skills to address local issues associated with alcohol and other drugs. LDATs can be a mix of schools, educational institutions, health workers, police, community organisations, businesses and local government who unite to drive a community-led response.

There are 273 LDATs who are supported by the ADF to work with communities and develop a tailored Community Action Plan, which guides them to implement evidence informed activities at the grassroots level to minimise alcohol and other drug harm. Find out more in the Local Drug Action Teams Highlights Report 2024.