Substance Use Prevention & Treatment
NAVCHETNA: A New Consciousness on Life Skills and Drug Education for School Children
About Navchetna
Navchetna is a teacher driven set of modules wherein teacher-trainers would be trained at the State, District and at school levels. Coupled with this approach is the adoption of a strategy that ensures that a child or adolescent has someone to approach or talk to in the school if she/he is having problems with substance use. In the first year/phase, 300 districts identified under the “NASHA MUKT BHARAT ABHIYAAN” would be covered by the Navchetna project.
The release of the report “Magnitude of Substance Use in India”, following the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India (2019), highlighted the enormous scale of people using drugs, becoming drug dependent and needing help to address their drug use (both licit and illicit). Training packages for adults are implemented in India, but fail to match the specific needs of teachers to educate school children to strengthen life skills with the inclusion of drug use issues.
To address this gap, Society for Promotion of Youth and Masses (SPYM) in consultation with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) developed a series of training modules named NAVCHETNA: A New Consciousness on Life Skills and Drug Education for School Children.
The evidence-based training modules have been divided into Upper Primary (Standard 6th ,7th and 8th – containing three modules) and Secondary Schools (Standard 9th ,10th, and 11th – containing six modules).
Currently the modules are available in English and Hindi languages. It is anticipated that various States in India will have modules contained in Navchetna translated into their local languages to facilitate greater reach and wider transaction of content and messages. Both volumes of Navchetna have been professionally designed to make them user friendly.
In addition to the books, a further teachers support aid has been developed with the creation of a series of videos that mirror the contents of each training module. Teachers and trainers can refer to each video as and when required.
Drug Treatment & Rehabilitation
Juvenile Drug De-addiction-cum-Rehabilitation Centre
The Center follows the SPYM Child Protection Policy. The 90-Day Residential Center offers 24/7 service. Treatment and rehabilitation begin with the child’s detoxification (first 5-7 days) followed by therapeutic interventions including counselling, interactive sessions, group therapy, role-playing, bal panchayat, literacy & life skills program, and more. Primary care support and reintegration is done with the help of families and communities.
Drug De-addiction-cum-Rehabilitation Centre for Children
In 2014 SPYM started an exclusive treatment and rehabilitation centre for street children. Children within the age group of 7-18 years are referred to Delhi’s Child Welfare Committees (CWC). Those referred by other sources like the Police, families, and shelter homes are produced before the CWC.
All children are clinically assessed (i.e. history taking and examination) by trained and competent staff, based on which a 90-day treatment plan is formulated in a residential setting where children participate in recreational activities, reading and writing skills training, group activities, role plays and more.
Drug De-addiction-cum-Rehabilitation Centre for Female Drug Dependents
Using an evidence-based and gender-responsive curriculum, this holistic programme for adolescent girls and women at our residential centres provides an ‘abstinence-based approach to recovery. The duration of the treatment is based on client needs. All services are offered pro-bono by an all-female staff, and special attention is paid to women’s individual needs.
Drug De-addiction-cum-Rehabilitation Centre for Adults
Since 1990, adult male users are provided with drug and alcohol treatment at our Vasant Kunj centre, under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. Of India. This centre provides an in-house treatment programme for a minimum of 30 days, with all services provided free of cost. Similar centres are located in Chandigarh, Jammu, Darjeeling & Guwahati.
The centres focus on Preventive Education and Awareness Generation, Identification of substance-dependent persons for motivational counselling, Detoxification and Whole Person Recovery (WPR), Referral services, After-care and Follow-up, Care and support to families for co-dependence, and rehabilitation through vocational training using local resources.
Drug De-addiction & Rehabilitation Centres for Homeless Drug Users
We provide Drug De-addiction & Rehabilitation Centres for male Homeless Drug Users at Kotla Mubarakpur & Dakshinpuri in New Delhi to reduce the vulnerability of homeless community members to drug use and crime. Our services include detoxification, weekly doctor visits and medical check-up facilities, psychological counselling and referral, individual, family & group therapy, and more.
Halfway Homes
SPYM provides halfway home services for adolescents and young people recovering from substance abuse. The goal is to keep them away from drug-using peers/situations without unwanted interference.
They are encouraged to leave once they have fully recovered and are supported to take up gainful pursuits by providing them with vocational skills that are tailored to their needs and aptitudes.
Prison-based intervention
A majority of drug users/ dependents often serve prison sentences, either because of drug possession or drug-related crimes. SPYM plays a central role in helping them, especially young offenders, to break out of this vicious cycle of drugs and crime. At Tihar Central Jail, for instance, we engage young addicts and vulnerable youth in both one-on-one and group sessions. Upon their release, SPYM works towards rehabilitating them and ensuring that they do not resort back to drugs.
ODIC
SPYM has established Outreach and Drop-In Centers (ODIC) for vulnerable young drug users in the community . The centers run programs for prevention and provides a safe and secure drop-in space for substance-using children in the community. Provision of services for their screening, assessment, counseling, referral and linkages to treatment, care and rehabilitation services for drug dependents are provided.
Non-formal education with lessons in life skills through fun activities and games is also provided to the children. The aim is to eventually mainstream them by facilitating their admission into the formal education system.
SPYM has set up ODIC projects at Chandni Chowk in Delhi. Similar ODIC projects are set up in Chandigarh and Tripura in collaboration with the MSJE, Govt. Of India
CPLI
The initiative entails the identification and training of select peer educators in the community and implementing early prevention education led by trained peer educators. These peer educators provide awareness about referral and linkage to counseling, treatment and rehabilitation services for drug-dependent adolescents identified in the community.
With a primary objective of creating awareness regarding substance abuse, women empowerment, imparting education along with various workshops and campaigns and thus reducing the risk of children getting involved with substance abuse due to the influence of their immediate environment”.
SPYM has set up a similar CPLI project in Chandigarh in collaboration with MSJE, Govt. Of India
Drug Abuse Prevention
Awareness programmes for school children
Children from 8 – 15 years are among the most vulnerable to falling into drug abuse. This is especially true when they see their peers doing drugs and decide to try it themselves. As a result, many children drop out of school before completing primary level education.
- The awareness programmes are designed to assist school principals, teachers, counsellors, primary care nurses, and other stakeholders identify problem groups early and root out the malice.
- SPYM educates the youth about the dangers of addiction through various multimedia techniques that deliver the message in a simple yet engaging manner.
