Icelandic Model a Key Topic at ‘Drug-free Childhood’ Global Meet

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The increasing relevance of the successful Icelandic Model (IM) intervention in bringing teenagers affected by drug use disorders back to normal life through alternative pursuits programmes will be a key topic of deliberations at the three-day International Forum on ‘Right to Drug-free Childhood’.

The UN-backed conclave, opening here on November 16, featuring prominent voices against drug abuse from India and abroad, is organised by Fourth Wave Foundation (FWF) in partnership with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD).

IM has proved its efficacy in assuring a new lease of life to drug-addicted children by channelising their energy to creative pursuits like sports and other avenues of their preference through a collaboration of numerous stakeholders like parents, teachers and sports clubs.

Several countries have taken a cue from this successful model and experts hold that if IM is implemented in more countries that will benefit the mental and physical wellbeing of millions of children.

Dr Harvey Milkman, Emeritus Professor, Metropolitan State University of Denver, US, who has been actively campaigning for the implementation of IM in communities across the world; and Ms Margaret Lilja, Chief Knowledge Officer, Planet Youth, will speak at different sessions at the meet.

‘Children Matter-Right to a Drug-Free Childhood’ is the central theme of the meet, to be held at hotel O’ by Tamara.

Fourth Wave Foundation’s initiative to build a substance abuse free world, ‘VENDA’ (No to Drugs), has been strongly advocating the ‘Alternative Pursuit’ model in Kerala for the last eight years on the lines of IM. This research-based model carries out activities related to common innate talents of children, daily life, family milieu and socio-economic environment.

Major activities of ‘VENDA’ include empowerment programmes for children, football training, summer camp, football tourney ‘Venda Cup’ and awareness classes for parents, teachers, counsellors, police and excise officers.

‘VENDA’ is active in districts that have a very high number of drug-addicted teens found by the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) survey conducted by the Narcotic Control Bureau. Currently, it is focused on Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki and Thrissur districts.

Apart from sports training, it gives emphasis on inculcating values in children to lead a good life.

Around 30 years ago, Iceland was the hotspot of teenage drug consumption in Europe. After carrying out sustained anti-drug campaigns, there had been big change among Iceland teens.

Between 1997 and 2012, the percentage of teenagers aged 15-16 spending time with their parents increased from 23 to 46. The percentage of participants in sports competitions at least four times in a week also increased notably. A steep fall in the use of cigarettes, alcohol and cannabis among them was also recorded.

Drug-addicted youth were brought back to life without giving them the feeling of getting treated. Instead, they were given opportunities to learn whatever of their choice ranging from music, hip hop, dance to martial arts.

Now, Iceland stands first on the European list of de-addicted teenagers.