UKHRA Re-launch
On the 29th of April at the International Harm Reduction Conference in Liverpool there was a re-launch even for one of the main harm reduction groups in the UK. The UK Harm Reduction Alliance (UKHRA) is perhaps more important now than it has been in years, and if you’re not already a member then now is the perfect time to get involved.
UKHRA was originally launched in 2000 as a campaigning network to promote harm reduction. Over the last ten years they have produced guidance documents and policy statements, as well as having a membership that includes some of the most respected drug workers/activists in the UK. UKHRA is made up of a coalition of drug users, health and social care workers, criminal justice workers and educationalists who aim to put public health and human rights at the centre of drug treatment and service provision for drug users.
The main aspect people see of UKHRA though is its discussion groups, these have over the years been full of interesting and sometimes challenging debate and support. For those of us who’ve used them over the years they have been a way to meet like minded passionate people who are always willing give advice and information. In reality this was ‘Social Media’ before the term was ever used.
Why Re-launch?
Over the years the drugs workforce has grown/changed and new people have started using drugs. Because UKHRA has just been ticking over on the mailing lists without any real promotion these new workers and users haven’t in some cases even heard of the organization.
It’s clear that harm reduction is going to be under pressure, both in terms of funding during a recession and because of the new focus on recovery. We need to make sure that harm reduction stays on the political agenda and in public health. We need people to understand that it’s an essential part of ‘recovery’ and in many cases can help people attain this sooner. Harm reduction saves lives and those lives may be the lives of people who go onto recovery AND people who don’t, but we’ll treat them all with the respect they are due.
The 'new' UKHRA
There already a real push to increase membership. UKHRA now has a Facebook page, and a twitter profile, to help find new members.
Over the next couple of months UKHRA will be producing tools to help everyone with promotion, this will include downloadable resources that can be used in drug services and during events (eg training days, conferences etc). UKHRA has always been a grassroots alliance, and that is one of its great strengths.
Join the discussion
You can find the discussion lists on the UKHRA website
Follow UKHRA on Twitter
Join the UKHRA page on Facebook
You may also like Stephen Bamber's article on how harm reduction and the recovery movement work together.
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