EUROPEAN INFORMATION NETWORKS FOR PROFESSIONALS
This communication will begin with a very brief overview of the major European information networks on drugs and will provide a presentation of Infodroghe http://www.gruppoabele.it, the newly-born Web service of the Documentation and Research Centre of the Gruppo Abele. It connects a network of Documentation, Study and Research Centres – both Italian and foreign – that collects information, data and materials on drug addiction, drug market and drug trafficking, prevention and rehabilitation efforts, and projects of international co-operation.
European drug prevention networks
All over Europe there is a widespread concern about the problems connected with the consumption of drugs. Many local, regional, national and international bodies and organisations are actively engaged in developing policies and implementing programmes to react to the vast social, personal and health consequences connected with the consumption of these substances. In these policies and programmes prevention is of course one of the main issues. In order to develop adequate policies and strategies, information is vital and must be as much specific as possible about the actual situation, because otherwise programmes might not be tailored to the local circumstances. The organisations active in the prevention of drug dependence can play the role of an important counterpart for the European Commission in setting up networks for transnational prevention projects. In the context of the Action Programme on the prevention of drug dependence 1996-2000, as given by the Official Journal of the European Communities, number L-19, 21 January 1997, p. 25, a number of transnational networks have been set up. They represent the core of a widespread European strategy aimed at providing help and disseminating information on drug-related questions, and also at developing co-operation. Adhering to the principle of subsidiarity and concerned to respect local particularities, the European Commission encourages and supports these transnational projects. One of the ways choosen is a directory of European drug prevention networks, which you can ask for at the Office for Official Publications of the European Commission, Directorate General V – Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs, Directorate F – Public Health and Safety at Work, fax. +5. Otherwise, if you do prefer, you can e-mail me at the E-address of Mrs Lucia Bianco, Vice-chair of Elisad, and I will send you a copy in Adobe .pdf format.
European Addiction Training Institute – EATI
Stadhouderskade 125
1074 Av Amsterdam – The Netherlands
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OBJECTIVES: EATI Network is aimed at increasing the Training and Education element in the European Community Action Programme on prevention of drug dependence, and at contributing to a comprehensive European training framework, based upon the mapping of already existing post-graduate trans-national training activities.
Odense Kommune – ROPLNZ
Kultur- og Socialforvaltningen, Job- og Bistandafdeligen
Vindeagae 18 – Postboks 749
5100 Odense C – Denmark
T: ext. 4075 or 6801
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U: http://www.odense.dk/filer/roplnz.htm
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the ROPLNZ Network is to create and maintain a formalised co-operation between European Drug Abuse/Addiction treatment practitioners, in order to enhance and improve their individual and collective efforts in the field.
European Cities on Drug Policy - ECDP
Niddastrasse 64
60329 Frankfurt a/Main - Germany
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F: +49.69. 24248308
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U: www.ecdp.net
OBJECTIVES: The most important tasks of the ECDP are the collection and exchange of experience, information data, expert contacts, and consulting towards the developing of programmatic, well-tailored local drug policies.
European Network on Drug Abuse Prevention among children and young people – DAP
Samfundet Folkhälsan
Topeliusgatan 20
00250 Helsinki – Finland
T: +358.9.43491
F: +358.9.4349276
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U: http://www.dap-eunet.org
OBJECTIVES: The DAP objectives are to identify the need for, to develop and implement proposals for joint projects, such as projects developing strategies for ‘hard to reach’ groups, peer led approaches, parents’ intervention.
European Centre for Prevention of Drug Abuse – Drugs and Images Network
Rue Alphonse Karr 8
75019 Paris – France
T: +33.1.40372544
F: +33.1.40372543
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U: http://www.ofdt.fr/bulletin/drugima
OBJECTIVES: The European Centre for Prevention of Drug Abuse aims at indexing the audio-visual and multimedia tools on the prevention of drugs and other addictions, and at facilitating the circulation and use of these tools.
Hamburgische Landesstelle gegen die Suchtgefahren – Three Cities Project
Büro für Suchtprävention
Brennerstrasse 90
20099 Hamburg – Germany
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U: http://www.ecstasy.de
OBJECTIVES: The 3CP is building up a network of European cities with a synthetic drug scene (Hamburg, Amsterdam, Manchester), and a network of peers out of that scene in each city, in order to install a system of early detection referring new trends and new drugs among young people.
European Network for Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention in the Romany Community – ASSG-SASTIPEN
Asociación Secretariado General Gitano
C/ Antolina Merino 10
28025 Madrid – Spain
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U: http://www.asgg.org/sastipen
OBJECTIVES: The ASGG – SASTIPEN promotes improvements in the quality of life and health standards within the Gypsy community, with the objective of consolidating all existing knowledge and information on the subject of drug dependency and HIV/AIDS within this community.
ERIT
Rue du Vieux Pont de Sévres 154
92100 Boulogne – France
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OBJECTIVES: The ERIT is a Network of professionals working in the field of drug abuse.
European Foundation of Drug Helplines - FESAT
Rue Dulong 11
75017 Paris – France
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OBJECTIVES: The FESAT Network provides European citizens greater access to help/information by telephone on drug questions, in order to improve the quality of service offered by drug-helplines and to promote telephone helplines as tools for drug abuse prevention and for harm reduction.
European Network of Drug and HIV/AIDS Services in Prison – Cranstoun Drug Services
Broadway House, 4th Floor Broadway House 112
134 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 IRL – United Kingdom
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OBJECTIVES: The Cranstoun Drug Services are aimed at disseminating specialist knowledge and experience through a framework for multi-disciplinary co-operation between public and private organisations in all the member states of the European Union.
Euro-Methwork
Bureau International Affairs, GG&GD, room 507
Nieuwe Achtergracht 100
1018 WT Amsterdam – The Netherlands
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U: http://www.infobond.gggd.amsterdam.nl
OBJECTIVES: The Euro-Methwork goals are to stimulate the exchange of ideas and expertise between providers of methadone, in order to ensure the proper provision of methadone in all the European countries.
IREFREA Italia
Via Orsera 4
Lido di Venezia (Ve) – Italy
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U: http://www.welcome.to/irefrea
OBJECTIVES: The IREFREA ITALIA tasks are the promotion of primary prevention, research and evaluation on primary prevention, and the study of risk and protective factors on drug use and other disorder behaviour among adolescents.
European Group for Exchange Rhine-Meuse-Moselle – GEERM
Chandellerue 1
57000 Metz – France
T: +33.3.87751528
F: +33.3.87365633
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OBJECTIVES: Since 1996, the GEERMM Network is building up a dynamic system including encounters, exchanges, training and research for professionals, specialists, but also for non-specialists involved in drug addiction problems, in order to promote the implementation of action programmes in the border regions of France, Germeny, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
TIMC c/o PRAXIS
Rue du Palais 33
4800 Verviers (Brussels) – Belgium
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OBJECTIVES: At the centre of the problems of drug addicts in the prison environment, is the prison and non-prison staff, whom the TIMC Network has been trying to mobilise and train since 1990. This work is aimed at different categories of staff through an approach of shared knowledge.
Toxicomanies-Europe-Echanges-Etudes Drug Addiction-Europe-Exchange-Training
T3E
Rue Achille Sirouy
60000 Beauvais – France
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OBJECTIVES: The T3E is engaged in promoting pan-European exchanges and exposition of clinical good practice between individuals and agencies working in the field of drug abuse prevention, care and treatment.
Trimbos Institute – Trimbos Peer Support Project
PO Box 725
3500 AS Utrecht – The Netherlands
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OBJECTIVES: The Trimbos Institute was founded to stimulate professionals and voluntary drug and HIV/AIDS services and drug-user self-organisations to use peer support as an AIDS prevention method, and to pass on the experience and skills for organising international, national and regional training courses.
Forum Européen Pour la Sécurité Urbaine
Rue Liancourt 38
75014 Paris – France
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U: http://www.urbansecurity.org
OBJECTIVES: The Forum Européen Pour La Sécurité Urbaine tasks are drug prevention in primary school (6 to 11 years), and drug prevention targeted at the adolescents, especially with respect to new drugs.
European Society of Professionals Working with Drug Dependencies ITACA
Glorieta de Bilbao 1
28004 Madrid – Spain
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U: http://www.itaca-europe.org
OBJECTIVES: From the beginning of the 90s ITACA has been making its way to become one of the most important networks of European professionals working with drug dependencies, by improving its channels of dissemination and information exchange, and opening new spaces of debate both at a national and European level.
International Parenthood – Drug Abuse Network – RIPUDD
Place Morichar 53
1060 Brussels – Belgium
T: +32.2.5378773
F: +32.2.5370992
U: http://www.ulb.ac.be/assoc/ripudd
OBJECTIVES: The RIPUDD Network aims at promoting the exchange of information between researchers who conduct scientific work in relation to drug using parents to be, young parents and their children, and at promoting the development of these investigations in order to encourage their widespread dissemination.
A common purpose joins so many different realities: to exchange ideas and experiences, to improve knowledge, skills and performances, to stimulate and encourage the development of information policies on drugs, in order to share benefits from wide-ranging networking and interaction. By the way, I would make mention of the European Ngo Council on Drugs and Development (ENCOD), a network of Non-Governmental Organisations from the Council of Europe countries who are concerned about the impact on developing countries of the illegal trade and international control policies. Since 1994 it has been working to analyse the linkage between drugs and development issues and to advocate more just and effective drug control policies. Encod members meet at an Annual Assembly each year and for working meetings at least three times a year. Working meetings provide a forum for exchange of information about each member’s activities, joint analysis of issues of interest, and joint planning and coordination for education and advocacy campaigns.
European Ngo Council on Drugs and Development – ENCOD
Lange Nieuwstraat 145
2000 Antwerpen – Belgium
T: +32.3.2264511
F: +32.2.2263476
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http://www.worldcom.nl/tni/drugs/encod.htm.
Website ‘Infodroghe’
Many of the above cited Networks can already be contacted on the Net via the Website of the Documentation and Research Centre of the Gruppo Abele, which is the main subject of this short presentation. But, first, let me spend a very few minutes talking of the Documentation and Research Centre. It is one of the several activities of the Gruppo Abele, which started in Torino in 1966 and carries out its commitment not only by giving assistance and counselling to those who live difficult situations, but also by promoting initiatives in the cultural and social fields (such as a publishing house, an agency press, journals, training courses). Its goal is to offer cultural instruments both to the professionals and to the public and create real perspectives of change, working together with other agencies.
The Documentation and Research Centre started its activity in 1975, with the aim of collecting and classifying documents (both Italian and foreign) in the fields of social marginalization, prevention and assistance. Since 1980 the Centre has been opened to the public and has been systematically collecting books, journals and documents. Since 1987 all the data have been stored in a computerized system that runs on an IBM AS/400 system, using the Data Retrieval Program I.C.A.R.O. (Interactive Control And Retrieval Of documents). At present the Database includes approximately 40.000 bibliographical items, namely 9.500 books, articles selected from more than 550 Italian and foreign reviews, unpublished documentation, fiction films and doctoral theses.
Twice a year the Database is stored into a Cd Rom named "Pollicino", which, like the hero of the fairy-tale, clears the road to information. Pollicino is on sale and provides also an English version of the bibliographical items. The subjects covered by the Database are the following:
drug addiction, alcoholism and nicotism;
young people and children problems;
homosexuality;
transexuality;
prisons;
prostitution;
AIDS and HIV infection;
migration problems;
criminality, drug-trafficking, the mafia;
social workers and training;
social policies and the voluntary sector.
In addition to selecting and classifying documents, the Documentation Centre runs other activities, like promoting and developing social research, production of materials and counselling. In the field of social research, the Centre has worked out many surveys with the main target to give instruments of evaluation and check of Italian interventions concerning social distress and its prevention.
As from 1st November 1998, the Gruppo Abele has been present on the Web with a new Website. In addition to the information on the history, organisation, aims and activities of the Group, this site provides what we do hope will become in time a very useful information and documentation service on addictions. The Website is called "Infodroghe", that is Drugs Info. It is organised into three sections: Network information, Bibliographic Database, Laws and Regulations. Under the name of "Network Information" we gather a list of services, the most important of which is a network of Documentation Centres throughout Italy. The other services provided are: a list of the public Drug Addiction Health Services all over Italy; an Agenda of events, meetings, seminars and training courses; up-dated statistics on drug addiction; and links to publishing houses and publications specialised in addictions.
According to the spirit of the Gruppo Abele, this service aims at disseminating information for social and information professionals, but also at providing an effective aid for all those who – whatever is the reason – need information and documentation on addictions. To identify the Italian Centres that collect information, data and materials on addictions, drug market and drug trafficking, but also on prevention and rehabilitation efforts, and co-operation projects in the field, different channels were used: queries on Database, consultation of directories, inspection of informative materials collected during these years. After determining the centres, we sent them a questionnaire to fill in. In order to find them, one has to click the name of the city he is interested in or the little man on the map corresponding to the region. What is new is the possibility of linking and e-mailing to several – but the work is still in progress – European and non-European Documentation Centres, starting from the Elisad members who agreed on joining the network. To do that, Elisad members were asked to fill a questionnaire during the last Elisad Meeting in Paris.
Since December 1998, the bibliographic database and the juridical section are available on-line. The Website provides more than 10.000 bibliographical items and the texts of laws and regulations concerning drug-related issues. By doing so, it provides an on-line data-mining service that, according to the goals an electronic library is expected to get, makes far easier meeting the end-user’s needs. Of course, a link to the Elisad Website http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/villa/8980 is already present in the section where the Documentation Centre is described.
ELISAD Annual Conferences
Mrs Marianne Van der Hejiden, Chair of Elisad, just made a presentation of Elisad last year. Then, I would only spend a very few words here to mention the subjects of the last two Annual Conferences. The primary purpose of Elisad is to enable those working in the field of alcohol and other drugs and facing common challenges to exchange ideas and experiences and, through networking and interaction with each other, to improve their knowledge, skills and performances. According to that purpose, the Annual Conferences provide a forum for monitoring and disseminating information in the fields of health care and prevention of addictions, but also of documentation and research. In fact, the 1997 Elisad Annual Meeting, held in Torino and organised by the Gruppo Abele, focused up on the Dissemination of Information on the Prevention of Addictions. The 1998 Annual Conference was organised by Toxibase in Paris and focused up on the Role of Information Professionals in Alcohol and Other Drugs Monitoring Systems. Papers presented at the 98 Elisad Annual Meeting are now available and downloaddable at the Elisad Website, and the 97 Elisad Annual Meeting will be soon on the Web.
I thank you very much for your kind attention.
Duccio Canestri
Documentation and Research Centre
Gruppo Abele
Corso Trapani 95/a
10141 Torino – Italy
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European Association of Libraries and Information Services on Alcohol and other Drugs – ELISAD
http://www.worldcom.nl/tni/drugs/encod.htm
Mrs. Marianne van der Hejiden
Chair
Weth. den Hertogstraat 56
1107 DA Amsterdam . The Netherlands
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Mrs. Lucia Bianco
Vice-Chair
Documentation and Research Centre of the Gruppo Abele
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