Youth AOD work is not limited to support provided by specialist Youth AOD services. All youth workers should be in a position to support, in some way, a young person who uses drugs or alcohol.
All youth workers are likely to engage in AOD work to some extent, considering a client’s drug use may only be one element of a constellation of things in their life.
The aim of Youth AOD work is to assist the young person to reduce their reliance on substances to cope, and/or to reduce the harms associated with their drug use. As well as seeking to eliminate harms, Youth AOD work aims to increase the number of coping alternatives available to young people. These include working to increase and strengthen protective factors in a young person’s life. AOD work is focused less on drug use and more on the use’s function.
Effective youth AOD work must focus on the young person’s goals. The practitioner needs to value and respect the client’s self-determination and commit to providing a safe, supportive and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship.
Effective services are characterised by:
Programs that aren’t limited to a specific number of sessions.
Commitment to harm-reduction principles
Flexible models of service delivery such as outreach
A holistic approach to a young person’s health and wellbeing
Assertive and proactive approaches
Engagement with sub-populations, i.e. homeless youth, young people in out-of-home care
Youth AOD work aims to help the young person progress to where they’d like to be. It must start where the young person is, and acknowledge and understand the factors and influences in the young person’s life.
For a deeper look at this topic, check out the Youth AOD Toolbox section “What is youth AOD work”
The aim of youth AOD work is to assist the young person to reduce harm and reduce their reliance on substances to cope.
Get help now
YoDAA is a free and confidential online and phone service that offers supports to young people, families and professionals. You can contact 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.
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Post excerpt: ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas volutpat blandit aliquam etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis convallis convallis tellus id interdum…
At the time research undertaken by Dr Bruce Alexander aimed to debunk some of the myths around addiction. Whilst successful in this worthwhile endeavour unintentionally the experiment perpetuated unhelpful stereotypes about the motivation for problematic drug and alcohol use.
At the time research undertaken by Dr Bruce Alexander aimed to debunk some of the myths around addiction. Whilst successful in this worthwhile endeavour unintentionally the experiment perpetuated unhelpful stereotypes…
NDARC have released their latest Australian drug trends report. This collates numerous reports and data to comment on trends in AOD use and harms in Australia.
NDARC have released their latest Australian drug trends report. This collates numerous reports and data to comment on trends in AOD use and harms in Australia.
The Victorian government has launched “Lookout Centres” across Victoria. These centres are there to help those young people in OOHC and those working with them. They will have access to staff that are able to help them with challenging enrolment decisions and facilitating opportunities to enable a young person to participate fully…
The Victorian government has launched “Lookout Centres” across Victoria. These centres are there to help those young people in OOHC and those working with them. They will have access to staff that…
Don't delete me. This is used to get the current Tailwind screen.