Chair of Aberdeen City Youth Council Barry Black MSYP has recommended the Education, Culture & Sport Committee on Aberdeen City Council approves the creation of a Drugs Youth Worker role.
Barry told Aberdeen Voice:
“Our sister group, GRADE A (Get Real About Drugs Action Aberdeen), has worked tirelessly to improve drugs education in the city and has benefitted immensely from the support of our youth worker.
“An additional Drugs Action worker would make a huge contribution to the already excellent work being done on drugs education in the city. We recommend the committee approve the funding for the position on the grounds of the benefit to young people.”
“We have a significant substance misuse issue with young people in the city and this is an issue that needs to be addressed. We are above the average for substance misuse statistics1 and a full-time drugs education worker would help to contribute to the fight against drugs abuse in the city.”
1 Statistical information on substance misuse can be found at http://www.aberdeenshireadp.co.uk/Flexviews/core/assets/adp%20mtg%20may%202010/info_2%20summary%20of%20drug%20misuse%20statistics%20scotland%202009.pdf