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Young People and Needle Exchange (3 day course)

About the Course: Work with injectors generally can be complex. When the injector in question is a young person, the work becomes still more challenging. This course is intended to enhance the skills of workers engaging with young injectors and ensure that they are equipped with the theoretical and practical knowledge to work lawfully and competently with this client group.

Appropriate for: All workers who work with young injectors or deliver exchange. It is intended for workers who have not had previous needle exchange training but can be a useful refresher for those who have been previously trained. The course assumes a basic level of drugs awareness.

Duration: 3 days

Learning Outcomes: By the end of the course, workers will be able to:

Describe key differences between young and adult injectors
Relate interventions with young injectors to wider harm reduction and treatment interventions
Illustrate how injecting works using models of human anatomy
List key drugs which are injected and describe specific issues related to each drug
List the main types of paraphernalia required and critique various items available
Summarise differences between veins and arteries
List main injecting sites and critique them.
Role play the process of preparing drugs for injecting, and analyse where risk enters the process
Describe SC and IM techniques and explain risks of these routes
Describe key injecting complications and summarise prevention and treatment responses
Critique injecting behaviour, describing key risks
Describe alternatives to injecting
Summarise key legal and practice frameworks governing needle exchange
Apply assessment of competency to young people
Analyse how local provision currently engages with young injectors
Plan how local provision could be developed to work with young injectors
Formulate responses to practice scenarios

DANOS Modules:

AA4 Promote people's equality, diversity and rights
AB2 Support individuals who are substance users
AB4 Contribute to the protection of individuals from harm and abuse
AB8 Contribute to assessing and act upon risk of danger, harm and abuse
AB9 Relate to families, parents and carers.
AB5 Assess and act upon immediate risk of danger to substance users
AD1 Raise awareness about substances, their use and effects
AD2 Facilitate learning through presentations and activities
AD4 develop and disseminate information and advice about substance use, health and social well-being
AF2 Carry out assessment to identify and prioritise need
AH3 Supply and exchange injecting equipment for individuals

Format: Taught sections; work in pairs, small groups, group discussion

Handouts: Set of slides, assessment and policy tools, backed up by online resources

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