THE second round of applications are now open for local organisations to join the Coalition Government’s Local Drug Action Team (LDAT) program.
Community groups across Australia are joining forces to deliver targeted local action to help tackle drug use and addiction, with the Torres Strait recently announced as one of the first 40 successful locations from Round 1.
“We need to work together to fight the scourge of ice and other drugs which cause so much harm to individuals, families and our communities,” said Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch.
“This is an issue that Far Northerners care deeply about, as too many people are seeing the toll that drug addiction is taking on their family members, workmates or friends.
“For those who may not be seeing it first-hand, they are aware of the depth of the problem in other areas and don’t want to see the Far North become a hot-spot especially when it comes to ice.”
The LDAT program is an initiative under the Coalition Government’s four year, $298 million investment to reduce the harms of ice, drugs and alcohol.
Local Drug Action Teams is a community-driven program, that helps local organisations to work together to develop and deliver local solutions to tackle drug and alcohol issues.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation will assist the program to develop and deliver evidence-based community level planning and action.
Mr Entsch said each successful Local Drug Action Team will receive minimum initial funding of $10,000 to support the further development of their local plan for on-the-ground prevention activities.
“Community teams can apply for funding of up to $40,000 a year to support the prevention activities and priorities they have identified in response to local issues.
“I’m calling on concerned community groups across the Far North to join together and take advantage of this program.
“Membership of each team might include representatives from local councils, schools, police, youth services, primary health services and treatment services, community groups, non-government organisations and interested community members.”
Examples of the sorts of activities Local Drug Action Teams might undertake could include:
– Fighting the scourge of ice in communities by promoting and distributing evidence-based information and encouraging people to access available support.
– Working with vulnerable people to improve engagement with education/employment services.
– Providing support and information for parents and carers to talk to each other and their children about alcohol and other drug issues.
– Developing local solutions for reducing alcohol-related violence and other drug harms in community spaces.
Applications are now open and will be accepted until 14th July 2017.
Details about the program, community support material and application documentation is available on the Alcohol and Drug Foundation website at www.adf.org.au
