Noel McGrath of Tipperary in attendance during the launch of the Drink Less, Gain More campaign, and GAA/HSE Health Theme Day at Croke Park in Dublin in 2018. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
The GAA is delighted to offer the 'Explaining Drugs and Alcohol - Substance Use Awareness Workshop' to all interested clubs within the Republic of Ireland.
This workshop has been developed by members of the local and regional Drug & Alcohol Task Forces (DATF) based on current research, evidence and subject matter expertise. The delivery of each workshop is supported by a wide network of facilitators who have been trained and upskilled by DATF tutors. Such experts can provide age-appropriate, evidence-based information and advice as displayed in this workshop.
While access to the workshop is exclusive to persons over 18 years-old, the training provides advice and best practice for those working with juveniles in the areas of athletes lives and substance use, what can a Club do and training opportunities amongst others.
Should your Club be interested in hosting a workshop, the following criteria must be met:
- Must be a registered Club
- Must have support/approval from the Club Executive Committee
- Must have an appropriate venue to deliver a workshop (meeting space NOT a club bar, includes power supply etc)
- Minimum of 15 attendees at the workshop (Clubs may connect with other clubs in their area to host)
- Attendees must be 18 years or older
- Must have a current and active Substance Use policy in place or a legitimate COMMITMENT to adopting such a policy post workshop. (Templates for such policies are available below).
If the Club meet these criteria and wish to express an interest in hosting a workshop, please complete this form - https://forms.office.com/e/dA2kibtp3U
Once this form is completed, the club request will be forwarded to the relevant local and regional drug & alcohol task force coordinator who will assign a facilitator to organise and deliver the workshop.
The GAA Community and Health dept alongside the local and regional drug & alcohol taskforce strongly encourage and recommend that a substance use policy be discussed (at a minimum) and adopted prior to undertaking this workshop.
To embed and promote the policy, it is worthwhile launching in collaboration with representatives from your regional DATF or Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team (DACT) and community liaison officers from An Gardai Siochana or the PSNI.
While a policy is important in making clear to all members a club’s position regarding substance use, it is important to remember the old business maxim that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. In other words, you can have the best policy in the world but if it isn’t lived through the values and culture of your club, it isn’t worth the paper it is written on.
In the 6 counties, clubs can avail of a similar substance use awareness workshop provided either by ASCERT or Start360. Both programmes are very similar, both are free, and are commissioned by the PHA. Which service is available to a club depends on their Trust area. However every Trust have these available to them and more information can be accessed at: Drugs and Alcohol | NI or by emailing Maura McMenamin maura.mcmenamin.ulster@gaa.ie
For more information on Substance Use and to access a sample club Substance Use policy if your club doesn’t currently have one in place, visit: https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/community-and-health/substance-use-gambling-awareness/substance-use