• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
 
Resources. Information. Support. EducationE-Mail:info@youthrise.orgWeb:www.youthrise.org
 Youth RISE
nnual Report 2008
 
 
 Youth RISE Annual Report
/ December 08
2
Looking back over the year of 2008, we have much to be proud of in our growth and development as anetwork. With little more than a year’s worth of funded activities, Youth RISE has established itself as aunique and innovative project in several distinct arenas such as the international HIV/AIDS youthmovements, the international harm reduction community and drug policy reform initiatives.What began with several young people and supportive mentors in the spring of 2006 has blossomed intoan international network of over 200 registered members from more than 60 countries. A crucialcomponent of Youth RISE in the past year has been the formation of an International Working Group(IWG), which provides leadership, direction and the implementation of projects. This dynamic team of young people has had membership from countries as diverse as Algeria, Argentina, China, Guyana,India, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Spain, Syria, Vietnam, the UK and USA. We have also been fortunateto have the help of an intern from Eritrea.What has emerged is a collective of young people, with diverse life experiences, who are committed toensuring that young people have a voice and are able to meaningfully participate in the policies andprogrammes that affect their lives. We are committed to advancing harm reduction as an effectiveapproach for young people who use drugs and are affected by substance use.In 2008 alone, Youth RISE staff and IWG members were involved in consultations, conferences andmeetings in Amsterdam, Oslo, Tacoma, Barcelona, Ibiza, Bucharest, Goa, New York, Vienna, MexicoCity, Prague, Phnom Penh, Copenhagen, Washington and Ottawa. These events ranged from HIV-related, to harm reduction, to drug policy reform, to club health, to drug user organizing.Young people have critical insight into the realities of today, yet are far too often left out of any dialogueor discussion. The young people involved in Youth RISE continue to demonstrate that young peopleaffected by substance use and drug policies can and should be involved as equal partners in thedialogues and decisions around harm reduction and drug policy.Youth RISE members have grown up in a world in which drugs are often more available than theresources to reduce drug related harm, where harsh drug laws and wars against drugs dominate globalpolicy and we have not known a world without HIV. We are uniquely positioned to understand thecomplex world we live in, and the past year has demonstrated the eagerness of so many young people tobe involved in finding solutions that are effective, health and human rights based approaches.Youth RISE could not have achieved this much without the support and mentorship from manyindividuals and organizations around the world and we are incredibly thankful. We look forward tocontinued growth and partnership in 2009 and beyond.Sincerely,Caitlin and Kyla
Message from Youth RISE International Coordinators
 
 
 Youth RISE Annual Report
/ December 08
3
Many young people all over the world have been affected by or experimented with drug use atone point in their lives. Yet accurate information about substance use and access to drug relatedservices have not been made available to young people. Young people today live in a worldwhere drugs are more readily available than access to education and resources relating toreducing drug related harm.Young people who have experienced or are affected by drug use are rarely included in thedesign and delivery of comprehensive prevention, education, outreach and treatment programs.Providing training and developing resources for young people most-at risk for drug-related harmand HIV/AIDS has been a priority for Youth RISE since its inception.
who we are…
Youth RISE (Resources. Information. Support. Education.) is an international youth-lednetwork for reducing the risks and harms associated with substance use. Youth RISE is anew, completely innovative project, acting as the first and only youth-led global harmreduction network of young people. Youth RISE recognizes that young people (age 15-24)face a wide range of specific barriers when it comes to accessing harm reduction services,advocating for harm reduction interventions or engaging with harm reduction and drug policyorganizations at a national, regional or international level.Youth RISE aims to increase the engagement and social inclusion of young people in thepolicies and decisions that affect their lives, thereby both increasing the effectiveness of programmes and services, and the health outcomes of the children and youth involved. YouthRISE advocates for effective harm reduction programmes and policies for young people, aswell as increasing opportunities for young people to participate in the design, implementationand evaluation of the policies that affect their lives. In addition, the organization provides aculturally diverse experience, allowing for cross-cultural partnerships, peer-to-peer trainingopportunities and youth empowerment initiatives
.We are comprised of a vibrant group of young people from all regions of the world with differentexperiences ranging from community based outreach work to global policy consulting anddevelopment.
 
“My experience asan IWG members forYouth RISE hasgreatly helped meto realize the potential inside mewhere often as adrug user I have todeal myself withhopelessness”
 – Vikram Laishram, IWGmember, India
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...