KESAN Youth Prevention Advisory Centre

Youth Prevention Advisory Centre

With the support of

ÏÊÁÍÁ ORGANIZATION AGAINST DRUGS

KESAN is a non-profit organization and operates as a Substance Abuse Prevention Centre. It works closely with OKANA aiming to prevent psychoactive substance use and to promote health within the local community.

Its main objective is to inform and raise awareness of young people, parents, teachers and citizens in general.

The ultimate goal is to sensitize people to a better quality of life.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT

PREVENTION In a broad sense, prevention means to ensure that a population is not exposed to risk factors and to build up their resistance to any negative influence.

People are encouraged to face everyday problems and any difficult situation in their lives.

Prevention procedure is not only based on information, but it also focuses on the psycho-social evolution of young people on a family, education and society level.

Prevention is part of Health Promotion and Education. It is addressed to young people, parents and educators as well as to anyone who is directly or indirectly involved in the development and socialization.

Prevention offers long-term results. A society investing in prevention is a society with an optimistic vision of the future.

FIELDS OF ACTION OF KESAN ÔRAINING PARENTS

TRAINING EDUCATORS

addressed to: • Primary and Secondary Education Parents' Associations • parents groups (neighbourhoods, professional or cultural associations…)

• Individual parents

addressed to: • Primary Education teachers • Secondary Education teachers • Private school teachers

actions: • experiential seminars, information and awareness campaigns • family counselling or referral to other bodies involved • referral to detoxification programmes objectives: • to conduct information and awareness campaigns for parents • to provide support for parents so as they can cope with their modern role • to improve co-operation among parents, school and local community mobilization

actions: • experiential seminars co-operational health education programmes • support, supervision • events objectives: • information and awareness campaigns about prevention and health promotion • information about psycho-emotional and social development of children and adolescents • education on group dynamics • development of their skills so as they can deal with difficulties In the class

ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH addressed to: • children and adolescents • groups of adolescents in the neighbourhood • individual adolescents actions: • experiential seminars • group activities (recreational, cultural environmental) offered by the AMATEURS CREATION SPOT • adolescent counselling • mobilization and referral to treatment and detoxication programmes objectives: • to help boost their self-esteem and develop their communication skills • to conduct information campaigns about substance addiction and prevention • to help resist to pressure from other young people training on emotions management • to help improve family relations and relations at school

INTERVENTION IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES Apart from the school community, KESAN also conducts interventions within the local community (neighbourhoods, municipal districts). The interventions focus on information and awareness of social groups and citizens as well as on their mobilization.

The aim is to create social networks for the strengthening of social cohesion which is an important factor for addiction prevention and health promotion in general.

EDUCATION/ RESEARCH/ EVALUATION When it comes to education: • coordination of workshops, seminars, congresses • students training • social scientists and health employees training • local authority officials training for the creation of regional prevention networks • volunteers training on prevention When it comes to research: The research activities of KESAN are conducted in conjunction with the University and the Technological Educational Institute of Crete as well as other bodies involved.

When it comes to evaluation: All activities of KESAN are internally evaluated but also subject to external assessors when necessary.

These fields of action are set up and implemented by KESAN. Therefore, continuous training is very important for KESAN scientific staff. This training is designed according to the needs of each period of time and aims at the upgrading of knowledge and skills of the staff.

CASE HISTORY 1989: The Municipality of Heraklion, by a Municipal Council decision, creates KESAN (Youth Prevention and Advice Centre). Its aim is to “attack” the problem of drugs within the local community.

1990: The Municipality of Heraklion co-operates with KETHEA (Therapy Centre for Dependent Individuals) for the operation of KESAN as well as the selection and the training of its staff. A nine-month training programme is established.

1991: KESAN starts to operate. A research is conducted about the problem of substance abuse according to data provided by the competent services of Crete.

Structures and services directly or indirectly involved are registered. Then KESAN charted the population it addresses to (schools, students, parents' and educators' associations…)

1993: KESAN participates as a founder member in the creation of Greek Network of Prevention Services.

1995: KESAN works closely with OKANA (Organization Against Drugs) since the creation of the Organization. They mainly focus on scientific staff training and they organize experiential seminars for educators and parents.

2000: KESAN coordinates the Greek Network of Prevention Services and organizes the 4th Greek Meeting of Prevention Services in Heraklion Crete on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

2005: KESAN, as an Institution of the Social and Cultural Services of the Municipality of Heraklion becomes a non-profit organization, entitled “KESAN” - Substance Abuse Prevention Centre of Heraklion.

KESAN is financially controlled and scientifically surveyed by OKANA. The Mayor of Heraklion presides over the organization.

The members of KESAN are: * The Municipality of Heraklion * The Holy Archdiocese of Crete * The University of Crete * The Technological Educational Institute of Crete (ATEI) * The Social Organization of the Municipality of Heraklion (KODI) * The Municipal Athletics Organization of Heraklion (DAOI) * The Municipal Enterprise of Culture, Tourism and Development of Heraklion (DEPTAI) * The Federation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants of the Prefecture of Heraklion (OEVENI) * The Volunteer Association of Prevention “The Team” (Omada)

Youth Prevention Advisory Centre

Minoos & Archangellou Postcode: 713.04 Heraklion Crete Tel. +30 2810 253190 and +30 2810 313222 Fax. +30 2810 253190 e-mail: kesan@her.forthnet.gr www.kesan.gr

With the support of

ÏÊÁÍÁ ORGANIZATION AGAINST DRUGS