WIREDGOV

Why is our project needed?

• The purpose of our Drugs: The Truth Project is to ensure that all UK children are given the correct and most up to date information relating to the effects that drugs and other substances can have on you and your community.
• Drug related deaths in England and Wales have risen to 4,359 in 2018 (a rise of 16% on 2017 figures). 
• 19.8% of young adults (16-24) had taken an illicit drug in the last year. (Source: Home Office)
• Year on year since 2007 hospital admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug related mental and behavioural disorders has increased in under 16 year olds from 350 in 2007 to 950 in 2018. (Source: Home Office)
• In research carried out for the Youth Justice Board among children and young people in the secure estate, 62% of the young people said that they had used alcohol and drugs for reasons that might indicate mental health or anger management issues: to ‘escape’, to feel safe, to relax or relieve stress, to calm down or to forget worries. Forty percent of young people said that they used drugs because they were bored, lonely, or anxious; 39% said that they became irritable, anxious, or depressed if they did not use drugs; and 37% stated that they used drugs not to get high, but just to feel ‘normal’.   (Source: Youth Justice Board)
• Nearly 50% of all violent crime is alcohol related. (Source: Fullfact.org)
• Between 2014-15 and 2016-17, killings where either the victim or suspect were involved in using or dealing illegal drugs increased from 50% to 57% (Source:  Home Office)

Our Goals and Objectives

The mission of Drug Watch Foundation is to educate and not rehabilitate UK children.

Our goal is to reduce the number of children and young adults using and misusing drugs, alcohol and other substances.  To reduce anti-social behaviours in our communities linked to drugs and substance abuse.

To raise awareness of the dangers, laws, health and social implications of drug use amongst children and young adults in the UK.

To preserve and protect the good health of persons in the U.K. who are in danger of becoming addicted to or dependent upon or who have already become addicted to or dependent on drugs, and to educate the public in the dangers of drug abuse.

We want to ask students to increase their knowledge, explore attitudes and the attitudes of others on drug and substance abuse, and refine their life skills and promote health lifestyles and good, positive behaviours.

Drug Watch Foundation Background

Since its inception in 2013, Drug Watch Foundation has donated drug awareness information packs to over 400 UK schools.  We started delivering our workshops in 2016 and have received great feedback from schools we have worked with to date.

Drug Watch Foundation are really proud of what we have achieved so far.   We have built a number of successful relationships with MP’s, Councils and Schools across the UK and we are looking forward to spreading the word even further over the coming years.    Our mission is to bring drug awareness to as many children as we can across the UK. We believe that by educating the children early in their lives, this will hand them knowledge of the pitfalls of drug usage.

The programme delivered by Drug Watch Foundation sees experienced educators team up alongside former drug addicts to deliver Drug Awareness workshops to children within School’s.   The programmes have been honed since the formation of the charity to really make an impact on the children during the sessions to ensure that the workshops are valuable and well received by the children.

Brian Carroll, Senior Education Consultant at Drug Watch Foundation has been working alongside the charity to build the drug awareness workshops experience.  Carroll, who held the position of Head of Student Experience at Chesterfield College for thirteen years and is now part of the Drug Watch Foundation leadership team.

Project Evaluation Method

We will collect evidence and information on our Drugs: The Truth Project through Questionnaires, In-Depth Interviews with beneficiaries, Feedback Forms and Case Studies.  The evidence will be analysed and reviewed by an independent body (Diversity Employment Solutions Ltd).

We will share our findings on our website and with our donors, and other relative organisations.

Sources of Funding

We will continually fundraise for our project through grant applications, auctioning of donated items, corporate sponsorship and fundraising through the general public.