Written by Florian Scheibein, Youth Consortium Project Manager.

Youth RISE participated in two Harm Reduction Journal-linked sessions at the Harm Reduction International Constellations Festival. Learn about these 2 session below.

HARM REDUCTION JOURNAL/YOUTH RISE/FILTER: RESEARCH WITH AND FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS

The session explored the lived experiences of young people who use drugs in academic writing as part of a Harm Reduction Journal/Youth RISE/Filter Special Series on “Young people, drugs and harm reduction” funded by the Robert Carr Fund. It discussed the overall series and three specific commentaries currently being written by members of the Advisory Board which focus on harm reduction issues related to engagement; unstable housing/unhoused people and issues affecting young people who use drugs in the Global South. 

Youth RISE IWG members MJ Stowe, Joana Canêdo and Youth RISE Communications Officer Ruby Lawlor shared their experiences of participating in various commentaries. Dr.Emmy Kageha shared her experiences in supporting young people in the research process for the series. The session also benefited hugely from the awesome involvement of the British Columbia Substance Use Youth Advisory Group who shared their experiences and expertise in the context of the commentary on unstable housing/unhoused people, young people who use drugs and harm reduction. 

WORKSHOP: USE OF DIGITAL TOOLS TO IDENTIFY EMERGING DRUG TRENDS AND DELIVER HARM REDUCTION SERVICES

The evolving digital society generates new methods and settings for harm reduction and the user voice. It is a multi-faceted hybrid of platforms, devices, interfaces and data-driven infrastructures that is intertwined into everyday life. The digital provides new capacities for harm reduction services which we want to recognise, and also new threats in the form of surveillance and algorithm-led decision making which can reinforce existing biases, and is the vector and venue for new types of drug and drug use. As part of the launch of a new section of the Harm Reduction Journal, this workshop examined these issues in terms of:

  • Provision of digital and online outreach services
  • Affordances and risks of digital technology for harm reduction 
  • Services delivered through apps, bots and the other means of online interactions with users’ mobile internet”

Youth RISE IWG team member Eliza Kurcevic and project manager Florian Scheibein participated in this session.