Prison Overdose Prevention (POP)

Did you know that people recently released from prison account for one quarter of all the fatal overdoses that occur
in Victoria? Well, it’s true and it’s also the reason why the Dept of Justice agreed to fund VIVAIDS to deliver Drug Overdose Peer Education workshops to prisoners and clients of Community Corrections. The key component of the project was the design and delivery of a series of workshops about overdose, based on principles of harm reduction and peer education. The workshops were developed specifically for prisoners and ex prisoners and as a result the workshop content focused on the special needs and concerns of this particular group. The program was limited to
three prisons, Fulham Correctional Centre at Sale, Melbourne Remand Centre and Dame Phyllis Frost Centre for women. Being able to go into the prison and deliver these workshops in the absence of any prison staff meant that they were truly ‘peer based.’ The workshops were a winner all round and well received by prisoners and Community
Corrections clients.

A variation of the workshop was also developed for Community Corrections staff and the participant evaluations were extremely positive. Staff participants claimed that they had a better understanding of risk factors for overdose and felt better able to talk to their clients about overdose as a result of the workshop.

It is hoped that participants will pass on information learnt and feel confident to utilize their newly acquired first aid and resuscitation skills. This in turn quantifies the ‘ripple effect’ of peer education and its ability to reach well beyond workshops and the participants who attended into diverse groups and networks of users.
Workshops Offered POP Contact
Under Construction
Nadia Gavin

Peer Educator
email: nadiagavin@vivaids.org.au
[© 2008 VIVAIDS Inc.]