TRAINING ON THE EUROPEAN PREVENTION CURRICULUM (EUPC) FOR DOPs- THE CYPRIOT EXPERIENCE

BACKGROUND

Data collected by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) suggest that initiatives which are considered unlikely to prevent drug use and related harms, such as only providing information about drugs and organising information days (including competitions, exhibitions, etc., organised on the theme of drug information), are still being used widely across Europe. The EU Drugs Strategy 2021-2025 includes priority number 5 in prevention, and specifically 5.4 that states: “Disseminate the latest scientific evidence on prevention to decision makers and practitioners and provide them with training”. Cyprus National Addictions Authority (NAAC) as the main coordinating body for all matters related to licit and illicit substances as well as pathological gambling in Cyprus, is responsible to disseminate the latest scientific evidence in this field and to support professionals. Part of NAAC’s role is to license, evaluate, fund (where possible), coordinate and reinforce all programmes, actions, and activities related to substances and gambling. Licensing and funding of prevention programmes is based on the fulfilment of certain criteria (EDPQS) and attaining a certain level of quality. 

METHODS

To enhance the knowledge of Decision, Opinion and Policy makers (DOPs) regarding evidence- based prevention NAAC decided to start implementing training on EUPC on a national level. In order to do that, two policy officers of NAAC completed all the steps necessary to become National EUPC trainers in 2021. The first training of DOPs in Cyprus took place in spring of 2022. Following that, two more officers from NAAC became National trainers. 

RESULTS

The above measures and steps taken have already increased the number of professionals trained but also helped to disseminate the knowledge on scientific based prevention and best practices approaches. Since 2022, 53 people were trained. DOPs trained included professionals from private schools responsible for health promotion curricula, NAAC staff, professionals from prevention programmes (NGOs and Governemental sector), police officers from the prevention office of the Drug Law Enforcement Unit, school counselors and school psychologists. NAAC offers the basic EUPC training twice a year and many of the participants also participate in the Advanced e-learning module of the EMCDDA.  

CONCLUSIONS

All the above measures are expected to ensure the implementation of evidence-based approaches offering quality prevention actions in Cyprus.  Moreover, NAAC has in place a legislation to support this effort, which requires all prevention programmes in order to receive licencing or funding to implement the EDPQS quality standards. Additionally, the EUPC basic training will be considered mandatory.