DARE
Drugs and Alcohol use Reduction: Engage with young people
Project reference : 617248-EPP-1-2020-1-RO-EPPKA2-CBY-ACPALA
Drugs use and alcohol consumption are major threats to young people’s health and well-being worldwide. They contribute to all the leading causes of death for young people (suicide, ro6ad crashes, accidental poisoning, and assault).
Between 1/12/2020 and 30/4/2023, the project partners from Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chili, Ecuador and The Netherlands will be directly addressing people aged 16 25 years.
DARE aims to tackle the sensitive issue of youth drugs and alcohol consumption. To achieve the aim, the project will expand the partners’ capacity in the domain of road safety, incl. driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, into the broader topic of drugs- and alcohol-associated problems.
DARE will unfold the potential of the project partners’ experience in deploying information technologies through peer-to-peer communication strategies by integrating cycling virtual reality.
Through that conversation, DARE shall achieve a measurable change in young people’s alcohol- and drug-related behaviour.
To achieve a measurable change, DARE will implement community-based multi-component initiatives. Those initiatives will leverage stakeholders’ experience and expertise through local working groups (LWGs) .
The overall DARE outcome will be a contribution towards the implementations of the Strategy to support EU countries in reducing alcohol-related harm, the EU Drugs Strategy and the EU Youth Strategy.
Startup meeting
Our representative participated in the online startup meeting on 14 December 2021. During the meeting, the partners’ representatives further analysed the needs DARE will address. In order to build the scope of the DARE Joint International campaign, the partners will reviewed the “3D Tripping Bike” Dutch experience.
Virtual simulator assembly
In December 2021, we were buying the parts we are currently missing and are sharing the 3D Tripping bike with our colleagues from Stichting Responsible Young Drivers Nederland.
Virtual youth exchange
On 12 May 2022, we participated in a virtual youth exchange. We exchanged ideas and good practices with youth workers and volunteers from Asociacion MINU, a youth NGO from Argentina.
Meeting of the national coordinators
On 24 May 2022, we participated in a meeting with all national DARE coordinators, in order to monitor the progress of the project.
Training of the volunteers
We have selected a group of high-potential volunteer multipliers. On 28 May 2022, they did undergo a capacity-building training on the topic of raising alcohol and drugs awareness through VR cycling interventions.
Buying our own simulator
We have the ambition to buy our own simulator, so we are looking for private donors. In July 2022, the King Baudouin Foundation allows our private donors to obtain tax deduction. So we are now able to order a brand new 3D Tripping Bike simulator.
The King Baudouin Foundation, the largest Foundation in Belgium, empowers organisations and citizens working to create a better society.
First and second local working groups
On 8 June 2022 and 31 December 2022, the local working group (LWG) started the local discussion on the subsequent National Conferences and Joint International Campaigns implementations
Local actions
Our simulator was used during a series of local actions, in order to attract 2 times more than 300 participants
Dissemination
Together with Martin Galanternik from Minu (Argentina), TOP-25 Europe disseminated the project results to Dr. Etienne Krug, Director Social Determinants of Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO) during the 8th Global Meeting of NGOs active in the field of Road Safety and Road Victims, which took place from 6 to 10 March 2023 in San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador
National conference in Ghent
On 21 March 2023, we held our national conference in Flanders Expo (Ghent) as part of the Flemish Congress of Traffic Safety. 42 people attended our workshop, which was composed of a presentation in a conference room and a practical demonstration in the entrance hall.
Third local working groups
On 22 March 2023, the local working group (LWG) evaluated the results of this project in Belgium and congratulated TOP-25 Europe with the achievement of the objectives.
Final conference in Brussels
On 20 and 21 April, we hosted the final conference of this project in Brussels. For the first time, we had not only the opportunity to discuss the project results but it was also the first in-real-life meeting with all project partners.
