Choose-Life

Implementing a drug-(ab)use prevention program & shaping youth policies with disadvantaged young
people for psychosocial well-being promotion

An initiative aimed at steering vulnerable youth away from drug abuse by promoting sustainable alternatives

GA number: 101187341

Funded by: Erasmus+     Duration: 24/11/2024 – 31/10/2026


Challenge

Youth drug abuse in the EU is at critically high levels, posing a significant social and public health challenge. The 2023 European Drug Report highlights the increased accessibility and diversity of recreational drugs, leading to earlier and heavier substance use among youth. Furthermore, there are notable gaps in prevention, treatment, and harm reduction strategies across Europe.

Innovation

Choose-Life addresses the issue of youth drug abuse by promoting youth participation, focusing on psychosocial wellbeing, education, and inclusion. It prioritises prevention over punishment to support youths at risk and combat social exclusion and substance dependency.

Action

An adaptable e-course designed to enhance accessibility for disadvantaged individuals, focusing on drug abuse prevention and soft skills development, including critical thinking and effective communication, while promoting health consciousness, self-esteem, interpersonal growth, and resilience against social pressures and emotional challenges, ultimately addressing the psychosocial factors linked to youth risk-taking behaviours.

A collection of activity sheets promoting healthy leisure practices across four key dimensions—Create, Move, Discover, and Play—featuring arts, crafts, outdoor activities, sports, and cultural engagement to provide vulnerable youth with enriching alternatives to drug use while fostering their psychosocial wellbeing.

A practical and theoretical guide for youth workers, social workers, and educators, providing strategies for a youth-centered, gender-sensitive, and intersectional drug prevention model, incorporating community-based approaches with informal and non-formal methods for effective prevention.

Policy advocacy and youth networking initiatives focused on drafting inclusive policy recommendations to support youth at risk, emphasising social rights, health literacy, and psychosocial support. Engagement includes participating in four policy fora, engaging in local government dialogues, and taking part in EU-wide discussions, fostering collaboration, experience-sharing, and the promotion of effective social welfare policies.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Project Partners

KMOP, Greece
CESIE ENTE DEL TERZO SETTORE, Italy
(Coordinator)
LIBERA PALERMO ASSOCIAZIONE, Italy
RIGHTCHALLENGE – ASSOCIACAO,
Portugal
Zwiazek Harcerstwa Polskiego, Choragiew Gdanska,
Poland
CARDET – Center for the Advancement of Research and Development in Educational Technology, Cyprus
WESTERN BALKANS INSTITUTE, Serbia
OUT OF THE BOX INTERNATIONAL, Belgium

 

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