Peer SupportHelping Friends
Community Organizing
Communities of people who use drugs, especially in small, rural or remote locations, often have self-organized structures of mutual aid. These structures have developed organically from the ground up and are the ideal place to build from when wanting to activate these communities around larger issues. A big part of this is recognizing the skills and value in the ‘ad-hoc’ inter-connection, peer advocacy, peer education and community organizing that people are already a part of. Recognizing and acknowledging the skills and aptitudes gained through activities that may be stigmatized within the drug war is a process of reframing to see value where we have been trained to see stigma
Community Organizing
- Facilitation skills
- Event production
- Resource production
Communities of people who use drugs, especially in small, rural or remote locations, often have self-organized structures of mutual aid. These structures have developed organically from the ground up and are the ideal place to build from when wanting to activate these communities around larger issues. A big part of this is recognizing the skills and value in the ‘ad-hoc’ inter-connection, peer advocacy, peer education and community organizing that people are already a part of. Recognizing and acknowledging the skills and aptitudes gained through activities that may be stigmatized within the drug war is a process of reframing to see value where we have been trained to see stigma
For example:
Experience |
Skills |
Finding and securing connections to drug sources |
Maintaining relationships, including across challenging power dynamics Doing research Fundraising Tracking people down |
Living in group houses, SROs, or outside |
Adaptivity Conflict resolution and communication skills Frugality Creative problem solving |
Being stigmatized in accessing health care |
Researching conditions Advocating for care Educating Care providers Learning alternative or interim medicine practices Self-care around rejection |
Experiencing systemic discrimination in systems like social assistance |
Critical systems analysis Personal Advocacy Accessing navigation support Navigating bureaucracies |
Key pieces that prevent grassroots groups from being able to organize events or produce resources are stigma and funding barriers. This is where working with an organization or professional ally can help. It is imperative that professional allies supporting grassroots communities not offer support in ways that are patronizing or conditional. Keep the pieces discussed in the “Meeting Folks Where they are At” section in play while helping with things like venue bookings, funding applications, or establishing partnership agreements.
Groups like VANDU and SOLID provide great models as to how user groups can maintain their voice and autonomy while working with allies to bring their voices and actions to larger stages. In Victoria, the Street College program helped with the organization and production of SOLID’s User Forum, a now annual event that offers a full day of speakers, workshops, community building and public action. See also on Facebook groups like https://www.facebook.com/CPDDW
Political ContextIn its very origin story, Street College has always been about creating and maintaining bridges to connect disenfranchised people with personal and collective power. A part of this is through democratic education and opportunities to explore and dissect the context that enacts this disenfranchisement.
We have included some examples of presentations used in Victoria’s Street College. Other examples could include a street school session leading up to an election cycle addressing voter registration and accessibility, or a street college session creating space for drug user/peer dialogue around housing developments, transit service or accessing services like the leisure access pass (recreation access for low-income folks).
Discussion Topics
Giving People Drugs: NAOMI, SALOME and MAP projects.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJRXM0WG80dFBzY09sRVgzRGtXUGM0Ml9YWG1B
The First Opium War: Queen Victoria was a Drug Dealer
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJeExGYUpvRzI0ckpYVXZfcDBmRVo4QUNfRjJV
Short History of Drug User Movement in Victoria
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJc3hMMlBqVndZa3MxMGZOM3BiT0E2UXZWcjlF
Harm Reduction Principles
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJWndXandDLS0tVlhjbWRCUnhJQnJlek40dy1J
Understanding Colonial Violence as a “determinant of health”
Capitalism/Mental Illness
Johann Hari: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OAMLR38-AI&t=328s
Suggested Resources
https://crimethinc.com/
https://theicarusproject.net/
http://aorta.coop/
https://www.newsociety.com/Books/C/Catch-the-Fire
https://www.facebook.com/CPDDW
Groups like VANDU and SOLID provide great models as to how user groups can maintain their voice and autonomy while working with allies to bring their voices and actions to larger stages. In Victoria, the Street College program helped with the organization and production of SOLID’s User Forum, a now annual event that offers a full day of speakers, workshops, community building and public action. See also on Facebook groups like https://www.facebook.com/CPDDW
Political ContextIn its very origin story, Street College has always been about creating and maintaining bridges to connect disenfranchised people with personal and collective power. A part of this is through democratic education and opportunities to explore and dissect the context that enacts this disenfranchisement.
We have included some examples of presentations used in Victoria’s Street College. Other examples could include a street school session leading up to an election cycle addressing voter registration and accessibility, or a street college session creating space for drug user/peer dialogue around housing developments, transit service or accessing services like the leisure access pass (recreation access for low-income folks).
Discussion Topics
Giving People Drugs: NAOMI, SALOME and MAP projects.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJRXM0WG80dFBzY09sRVgzRGtXUGM0Ml9YWG1B
The First Opium War: Queen Victoria was a Drug Dealer
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJeExGYUpvRzI0ckpYVXZfcDBmRVo4QUNfRjJV
Short History of Drug User Movement in Victoria
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJc3hMMlBqVndZa3MxMGZOM3BiT0E2UXZWcjlF
Harm Reduction Principles
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0KRWVz0vaqJWndXandDLS0tVlhjbWRCUnhJQnJlek40dy1J
Understanding Colonial Violence as a “determinant of health”
- What happens when we re-frame “marginalized” to “targeted”? When suffering can be understood as systemic, and not something that is a personal failing or fault
Capitalism/Mental Illness
Johann Hari: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OAMLR38-AI&t=328s
Suggested Resources
https://crimethinc.com/
https://theicarusproject.net/
http://aorta.coop/
https://www.newsociety.com/Books/C/Catch-the-Fire
https://www.facebook.com/CPDDW