Duduza – The Department of Social Development (DSD), the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Sanca), and other stakeholders held a substance abuse awareness school outreach at Nimrod Ndebele Secondary School on April 11.
They warned the learners about the harm of addiction and using substances.
Mpho Mphela, a social worker at the DSD in the probation unit of the substance abuse campaign, said they aimed to prevent learners from getting substance use disorder.
“During the awareness campaign, social workers presented the dangers of drug addiction and its effects. We explained the effects of drug addiction and crime and drug addiction and GBV.
“The programme also penetrates early intervention by assisting those already engaged in illicit substances,” said Mphela.
Mphela added that the programme focuses on reducing the number of substance abusers (service users) in schools. The social worker’s role is to help children who are substance users by referring them to rehabilitation centres as outpatients or inpatients for treatment.
The learners receive information from the stakeholders.
These programmes are a starting point for established addicts:• Pre-admission counselling – The social worker has sessions with the client before they are admitted to the treatment centre to prepare the client for admission.
This highlights what they should expect, prepares them for change (a drug-free lifestyle) and prevents the refusal of hospital treatment during admission into the centre.
• Wake-up call programme – A substance abuse programme for children and parents. It helps to modify the behaviour of children who abuse substances and teaches parents the symptoms of substance use disorder.
• Parenting skills programme – Gives parents skills and techniques for raising their children.
• After-care programme – Helps prevent clients from relapsing after rehabilitation, know the triggers of a relapse, the warning signs and how to stop it. The social worker helps individuals, families, and communities overcome challenges while promoting well-being.
“The aim is to also address social issues by assessing needs to improve the lives of the individuals, families and communities because substance use disorder affects the service users and their significant others,” she added.
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Sanca employee Zodwa Hani said they help people addicted to substances and alcohol by providing counselling services.
“Our duty in schools is to present our services so that communities do not suffer while we exist to provide relief. We also highlighted the effects of drugs. Schoolchildren think drugs are good for them and make them look cool, not knowing they affect them in different ways,” Hani said.
She said Sanca has an adolescent programme for schoolchildren. A therapist visits schools and identifies children with substance abuse issues. The next step after the identification process is individual and group therapy sessions.
“We also provide the individuals with medication to assist with withdrawal symptoms. Should a child know they have a substance abuse problem, the first step is to inform the parents, guardian or school teacher for help. Thereafter, the minor will enrol in our programmes at the Sanca branch in Nigel,” she added.
A teacher at the school, Zilungile Kunene, said they are grateful for the outreach programme at their school.
“This initiative assists our learners because many already use different drugs. When they have used them, they misbehave and destroy the school’s infrastructure.
“We are happy to have had this initiative at our school. It will help our learners realise what they are doing is wrong. This will help them to focus on positive aspects of their lives,” she concluded.
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The stakeholders teach the learners.
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