The North Wales Peer Mentoring Scheme is a European Social funded initiative. The Peer Mentoring Scheme decided to mark Europe Day by traveling to another European state with a view of gaining an in-depth understanding of how similar services operate in a different country and to share good practices.
We chose to visit Dublin and the North Inner City Drugs Task Force because of its close proximity to Wales. The North Inner City Drugs Task Force was established in 1997 to develop community responses to the drugs problem in the local area. The NICDTF comprises 20 representatives from the community, voluntary and statutory sectors, who meet monthly to discuss matters relevant to drug use in the community.
On the 9th of May the team met Patricia O’Connell the North Inner City Drug Task Force Coordinator. Patricia took us to visit 4 projects; HOPE, SAOL, Training & Development project and SOLAISE. Below is a quote from one of the Peer Mentors who came on the trip;
‘Just thought I would add a few words to say thank you for inviting me to Dublin for the Peer Mentoring Trip. I really enjoyed the trip and I have learnt much from the multitude of projects we visited on the day. It has been an interesting experience to see how related projects/programmes work in Ireland and I like to think that the trip has influenced a more positive attitude in my own approach to substance misuse…’
For more information about the NICDTF or any of the projects mentioned please visit www.nicdtf.ie/