Strengthening the capacity and agency of drug prevention stakeholders on the key issue of evidence-based prevention.

Background

In 2021, the EU Commission, Justice Directorate, funded the "Frontline Politeia" project to empower the understanding and implementation of evidence-based drug prevention by prevention implementers. Fifteen European countries participated and implemented the project activities carried out between 2022 and 2023.

Methods

One of the Work Packages (WP3), led by the author of this abstract, aimed to pilot-test a model of improving the quality of interventions undertaken at a local and regional level by strengthening the capacity and agency of drug prevention stakeholders on the key issue of evidence-based prevention.

Tools to collect and assess interventions were developed, together with training materials and other resources. The development process used both qualitative and quantitative methods. It took into consideration the review of international and European scientific literature and findings from focus groups and interviews conducted across Europe with prevention implementers at a local and regional level.

Results

The two main outputs of WP3 are the mapping and assessment tools for prevention interventions or projects. They represent the synthesis of the most updated scientific indicators on what works and does not work in prevention interventions. They also merge the most significant scientific literature such as the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) International standards on drug use prevention, the European Drug Prevention Quality Standards (EDPQS), NIDA indicators, and other specific scientific publications.

Conclusions

The presentation will show the project findings, the data collected in the seven participating countries, and the results of the assessment conducted on the interventions gathered from the different countries. Strengths and weaknesses of the prevention interventions, according to the International and European standards will be discussed. Specific and pratical tools to empower and improve prevention interventions' design and implementation will be explained.