The NCSA is aiming to deliver all Drug Education programmes through the use of technology.
This will help us to diversify the delivery of our mandate through the incorporation and utilisation of technology for drug prevention education and fundraising.
Drug prevention education in Barbados has traditionally been facilitated in classrooms and communities across the island.
The introduction of the Life Education Centre in 2007 provided drug prevention education in a non-traditional setting with access to various media that are not consistently utilised in classroom settings. This mobile classroom allowed us to deliver drug prevention education through a range of age appropriate life-skills activities.
The COVID 19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of schools and restrictions in the number of people permitted to assemble has forced the NCSA to adjust to digital approaches to disseminating its drug prevention messaging in order to ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiencies.
In an era of reduced budgets and limited opportunities for face-to-face delivery methods, if the delivery of the drug prevention message is to be continued, it is essential that the NCSA adapt to the changing environment at a rapid pace. In addition, it is recognised that for small organisations, fundraising is difficult.
This Drug Education Through Technology project therefore aims to trans- form programme delivery for children and adults, by maximising the outlets available in the modern learning environment. It is also intended that the utilisation of these modes will increase the capacity of the Council towards self- sustaining of its programming function.
The NCSA Officers have benefitted from training in diverse areas of drug prevention education and this will add value as the Council seeks to maximise on this new approach to programme delivery.
Just recently we were the recipients of new computers from The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which will help us to make this project more efficient.