Funder: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and National Institute of Social Defence.

Background:
Substance use is a major public health problem that, puts millions of adolescents at a variety of risks that include increased risk for traffic accidents, high risk sexual practices, juvenile delinquency, family, social, and developmental problems. Various studies reported that substance initiation begins at an early age due to vulnerabilities perpetuated through acute poverty, social inequalities, and other social reasons. Poly substance use ie consumption of more than one substance simultaneously is common among adolescents.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment initiated Community based Peer Led Interventions (CPLI) as part of its Targeted Intervention (TI) for Substance Use Prevention in community setting. Community Based Peer-Led Intervention (CPLI) is a program that assesses drug use in the community and implements early prevention for drug dependents in the community. The program provides referral and linkage to counselling, treatment, and rehabilitation services for drug dependents identified in the community. The program is designed to prevent vulnerable adolescents and youth from the usage of drugs, tobacco, alcohol consumption, etc., and to create health consciousness.

Our Intervention:
Since 2020, Saraswati Educational Society has partnered with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and has been executing the project in collaboration with in 3 locations across East, West and Northeast Delhi. This project is specially designed to address the needs of adolescents in the age group of 10-18 years from impoverished & marginalized communities who are at high risk of getting addicted or prone to exposure or already under the influence of substance use. The program focusses on the positive influence and peer pressure created in the life of a child.

As part of the programme, SES team initiates the assessment of among adolescents in impoverished & marginalized communities across East Delhi to understand the needs to appropriately address them. SES has a two-pronged approach to address the issue prevention and rehabilitation.

Peer Educators: As adolescents are influenced by their peers’ behaviours and habits both risky as well as in positive way. To ensure prevention the team identifies adolescents who are highly motivated, articulate, trustworthy, willing to dedicate adequate time to the programme along with demonstrated leadership traits. Further they are equipped about information on substance abuse, motivating users to quit, encourage and influence the peer volunteers they closely work with on different aspects like sports and games.

They are trained on the importance of mental and physical healthcare, academic and social health. In addition, trains children called who further reach out to vulnerable children/ adolescents of 10-18 years in the community who are non-substance users. The project conducts primary prevention activities through awareness programs through one-one and group counselling, street plays, engaging them through activities and thereby reducing the risk of substance use among children/adolescent/youth. SES is working through its team of 265 peer educators across 12 pockets of East Delhi over the last 4 years. These peer educators are actively engaged with 10 more children who volunteer to support our peer educators from communities who are engaged in the sensitization and awareness building.

We build awareness through individual and group counselling, gamified activities and engaging them in multitude of activities to boost their motivation and morale. We also help addicted children access timely support for deaddiction.

To address rehabilitation for the affected children, in addition to initial discussion with the children and families, on a case-by-case basis counselling and follow-up is provided to the substance users. SES also facilitates rehabilitation for children who are under heavy usage of substance by referring them to rehabilitation centres. SES actively follow-ups on a fortnightly initially and further follow-ups is done monthly.

In addition to bring awareness amongst the children and youth SES organises awareness campaigns, sensitization workshops, drawing competitions and discussions around the issues and its effect on our lives.

Our Proposition:
SES proposes to design a project which is comprehensively addresses the needs of the adolescent children and youth so that they can find solutions at one place like

1. Health care: General and reproductive health support, counselling support for multiple issues including prevention and rehabilitation for children affected by substance use.
2. Education: bridge course for dropout who want to get into age-appropriate classes, after school learning centre for tuition, learning facilities with audio-visual support and indoor games for recreation.
3. Skill Development: Career assessment support, English speaking and employability skills and counselling support, linkages for skill development courses with skilling institutions
4. Providing Linkages: Documentation support like Birth certificate, Aadhaar card, benefit cards (ration, EWS and other backward community certification) as well as facilitating accessing various social protection schemes like sponsorship, accessing education, admission in schools, etc.
5. Awareness creation: To organise and conduct various awareness building sessions to sensitise children/youth.
6. Bal Panchayat: Creating platforms for sharing and encouraging problem solving, leadership etc.