Funding of up to €100,000 for three consecutive years has been awarded to two Cork organisations as part of a national drug prevention and education initiative.

Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton, announced the projects to benefit from shared funding of €1.5m, courtesy of the drug prevention and education funding scheme.

Cork Sexual Health Centre’s DASH mobile night-time economy project and E-SHIELD UCC were among projects selected for funding.

The latter is currently implementing the phased roll-out of the MyUSE app to six higher education institutes, promoting mindful decision-making around drug-use. It also aims to cultivate harm-reduction practices in a third-level environment and encourage alternatives to drug-use. Developed by a UCC-based research team, the app exploits specific evidence-based behaviour-change techniques delivered via a clinical algorithm.

Meanwhile, the Cork Sexual Health Centre’s DASH mobile night-time economy project provides a mobile health unit incorporating a group and one-to-one meeting space for the delivery of health promotion activities.

Executive director at the Sexual Health Centre, Dr Martin Davoren, said he is delighted to be one of five projects selected nationally for funding.

“DASH is the first of its kind in Ireland so we are very lucky to have the service, which is supporting people in the night-time economy and bringing intervention to young people at a point in time where they may be about to take a risk,” he explained. “This is a really new and innovative way of looking at drug, alcohol and sexual health, and supporting people in a way that is necessary.

“You have to support people where they are at,” he added.

 “There is no point expecting people to make all the changes before you go and meet them.

“Young people are a big part of our night-time economy so we have to provide an infrastructure within that economy that supports them to make healthy choices so they don’t need secondary or tertiary services.

“What we try to do is reduce barriers to accessing services for communities,” Dr Davoren explained further. “Barriers could include opening hours, locations and access to transport. We are also aiming to reduce the number of people presenting at A&E while they are experiencing a challenge in relation to their drug, alcohol and sexual health. Young people need a voice that they trust who can respond to queries.”

Minister Naughton described the funding announcement as a significant milestone in the provision of targeted funding towards drug prevention. “Prevention is a cornerstone of the National Drugs Strategy – Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery,” she said. “That is why I feel it is imperative that we support evidence-based initiatives that engage with people who may be at risk of using drugs in a variety of contexts – in our schools, communities, universities, and the night-time economy, through timely preventative interventions.

"A monitoring and evaluation framework will be developed for the successful projects, and those exhibiting a positive impact will be expanded to reach additional groups.” 

She praised the work of the successful projects.

“The successful initiatives already have strong track records in drug prevention, and I’m delighted that, with our funding support over the next three years, they can continue to improve their lives.”