Eurobodalla Cares Local Drug Action Team have invited Deakin University to Moruya to run a drug and alcohol forum on Wednesday October 30th at Moruya Golf Club at 1pm.
“This is a very important day for the Eurobodalla” stated Robert Richmond the Chairman of the Eurobodalla That Cares Local Drug Action Team.
Deakin University have a drug and alcohol education and prevention program called Communities That Care(CTC). CTC programs have been running in 12 sites across Australia since 2002 with outstanding results.
At the Moruya forum Dr Bosco Rowland will present the latest data from CTC sites in Australia. Dr Rowland is a researcher and lecturer at Deakin University in Melbourne.His expertise is in developing and testing social behavioral principles on real world public health problems.
Mr Richmond advises that "Communities That Care has the potential to build capacity in the Eurobodalla to support youth well-being and prevent health and social problems for young people. The benefits of this program flow through to whole community."
“There are no CTC sites in NSW could the Eurobodalla be the first”.
"Evidence tells us that many of the problems facing young people in the Eurobodalla such as alcohol and drug use, mental health struggles and school disengagement can be effectively prevented using long term community planning. Using the CTC framework the whole Eurobodalla community(not just singular organisations or government departments) become the drivers of change.
Mr Richmond said ”imagine being able to mobilise a whole community to create a more healthy, resilient, strong and connected community ”that’s the potential of a CTC project.
The Eurobodalla Cares Local drug action team is hoping to get a CTC project for the Eurobodalla. This is going to require some significant funding but cost/ benefit studies done by Deakin University show very high returns for money invested in this program.
"The Eurobodalla Cares Local Drug Action Team will play an important role if we get a CTC program. The LDAT will help build a coalition of relevant community stakeholders. And become a potential source of funding.More information on CTC can be found at communitiesthatcare.org.au "
The forum, on October 30th, is open to the public and conveners particularly encourage organisations and staff working in this field to come along and see what can be achieved with a whole community approach implementing an evidenced based CTC project. Potential stakeholders will have the opportunity to meet Dr Rowland from 3.30 pm till 5 pm.
You can get more information by contacting Robert Richmond richmondconsultants@bigpond.com 0407211087.
Above: At the Moruya forum on Oct 30th, Dr Bosco Rowland will present the latest data from CTC sites in Australia
