In May 2005 we distributed a questionnaire throughout Barton
Hill, Lawrence Hill, Redfield and the Dings in order to
gauge local residents thoughts on the local drug problem
and what needed doing in order to tackle it. It was the
first piece of work IDEAL produced. The results can be found
by pressing this link.
At the end of November the research team will be formally established. The
team will be made up of volunteers who will be provided
with drug and alcohol awareness training provided by CAAAD.
And research skills training provided by professional researchers
working in the illegal drugs field. These professionals
will also be mentors to the volunteers.
The Research Team will be involved in a wide range of research
activities. The initial projects will be focused on gathering
qualitative and quantitative information on the drug markets
in operation across the inner city. This will provide the
team with a comprehensive range of research skills. The
second set of projects will be to look into drug and alcohol
services in Bristol. This will be a collaborative project
with watchdog and service user groups.
The aim of the Research Team is to gather quality information
for residents, service users, and community and statutory
groups to aide the formation of new initiatives.
The Research team will be crucial in the development of
new project ideas that will arise out of the Drug and Alcohol
Initiative.
The Research Team will also link into IDEAL Community Productions
(see below).
IDEAL put on 3 days of drug education for the City Academy.
Each day was dedicated to a different year group. Years
7 (11 years old), 8 (12 years old) and 9 (13 years old).
The work shops that were delivered covered:
What are drugs? And the different types of drugs - illegal
and legal.
Why people take drugs?
The global drugs trade - What countries grow drugs, how
these drugs get to market and why communities have to grow
them.
First aid training
Why do people deal in drugs - Year 9 only
A fake drug bust in Lawrence Hill Underpass - Year 9 only.
This was a staged event, the students were under the impression
that they were going on a visit to Trinity Police station.
Whilst on route to the station a drug deal was set up to
occur whole they were in the underpass. The drug deal was
'busted' by the Police who caught and arrested the dealer.
After witnessing the event students were taken to Trinity
Community Centre to watch a film of the booking in, interviewing
and incarceration of the dealer. This was filmed previously.
After the film the Police gave a short talk on the long
term consequences of drug use and dealing such as the inability
to travel to countries like the America and Australia. For
press coverage of the event - click here.
This project could not have happened with out the following
groups and individuals:
CAAAD, BDP, Police, Red Cross, Bev Thompson and Richard
Davison (City Academy), Nick Mason, the actor who played
the dealer.
We will be continuing to work with the school’s citizenship
department in the development of projects for students.
The work will focus on the global trade in illegal drugs
as this has such a wide range of learning possibilities
that are directly related o the citizenship syllabus.
In October 2005 we recruited the help of BBC Bristol and
5 volunteers in order to make a film on Bristol’s
drug markets.
Everyone involved received drug awareness training from
CAAAD. The BBC provided training workshops on all the various
aspects of making a film from research techniques to camera
work. The BBC also provided mentors for each of the volunteers
who stayed the entire course of the project. We are working
to get the film aired on the BBC.
The film follows Garry’s journey to find out why
certain areas in Bristol have drug markets, why people become
problematic users and why people deal. It then looks at
what is and is not being done to tackle the causes and effects
of the heroin and crack markets.
We did not want this to be a one off project, so we are
presently in the process of researching new ideas for films
and seeking funding. If you are interested in getting involved
please get in contact.
The D.A.I. had it’s first official meeting in December
2005 after almost a year's work by IDEAL
meeting with local residents, community groups and statutory
organisations tackling drugs and alcohol misuse.
In June 2006 D.A.I. voted for IDEAL
to be the facilitator of the partnership and in doing so
trusted IDEAL with the
responsibility to research and develop project ideas to
tackle the drug market within Barton Hill and surrounding
areas. It will also be our responsibility to build more
relationships across the inner city in order to develop
a joined up approach which is a necessary requirement in
preventing displacement of the drugs markets from one area
to another.
At present the following are members of D.A.I.
Residents of Barton Hill, Barton Hill Settlement, CAAAD,
Nilaari, Safer Bristol, Trinity Police, Primary Care Trust
North, Bristol City Council Housing (Barton Hill and Easton),
Neighbourhood Solutions, Community at Heart, Easton and
Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Renewal, Youth Inclusion Project.
If you wish to become a member of D.A.I. please go to the
website:
www.da-initiative.org.uk
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