EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Democracy, Cities & Drugs project

Democracy, Cities & Drugs project

Introduction

The Democracy, Cities and Drugs project assists local governments in developing and implementing broadly based integrated policy to decrease the negative impacts of drug abuse. Amongst its partners are seven European civil society networks, numerous cities, and universities. A lot of information on European and local drug policies can be found on the project website, which is reasonably up to date, but not that easy to navigate.

Problem

The Democracy, Cities and Drugs project promotes local and participative responses to drug abuse issues, by:

creating a knowledge exchange network based on a partnership between the European civil society networks and a pilot network of European cities. This network must ensure that local drug policy remains on the agenda after the project ends.
establish the conditions of a sustainable operation remaining after the end of the project.
Assisting local actors in the design and the implementation of policy responses to local drug problems.
establishing local partnerships by a system of twinning cities with related problems.

Description

The Democracy, Cities and Drugs (DCD) project is an alliance between seven European civil society networks aiming to promote local, integrated and participative responses to the issue of drugs use. Through the European Forum of Urban Safety (FESU) the network covers over three hundred cities.

Aim of the project is for cities and civil society networks to reinforce their activities in the field of drug abuse policy. They do so by exchanging their practices and insights within thematic working groups focusing on particular aspects of the every day work of dealing with drug abuse.

The Democracy, Drugs and Cities project tries to include all actors involved in implementing local drug abuse policies, such as:

elected representatives
actors from the prevention, the harm reduction and the care fields
peer projects
police force
justice
associations of inhabitants
club owners

The network of partner cities is co-ordinated by FESU. This network is open to all EU cities interested in exchanging practices regarding local, integrated and participative response to drugs issues.

Approach

Apart from offering a virtual platform for the sharing of knowledge, the DCD project organises an exchange programme between officials of all partner cities. The exchange programme includes several exchanges including at least one of the following actions:

training sessions – based on both local practical experiences and the most recent insights of the scientific community
study trips – hosted by one of the partner cities, giving the opportunity to see local practice at work
assessment and advice visits – experts of one of the partners visit another city to offer assistance in drawing up and implementing a local response to drug problems

Exchanges in the exchange programme are to address one of seven themes:

Developing a municipal strategic and action plan for integrated responses to drug issues
Local partnership to promote a healthier and safer nightlife
Improving the integration of drug services in the neighbourhood through community development
Treatment professionals meet policy makers
Improving the partnerships between cities and treatment centres
Race equality, drug services and democratisation
Methodologies for community development in dealing with drug-related issues

Results

Over 38 cities from seventeen EU countries have so far participated in thematic working groups and the exchange programme.
All results of the different exchanges in the exchange programme are thoroughly documented. Together with descriptions of good practice and derived methodological guidelines they will be published at the end of the project in December 2007.
A thematic network in the field of implementing local strategies on drug abuse have been developed. The network still has to prove it’s sustainability for the period after 2007.

EU involvement

The project is for 50 per cent co-financed by the European Commission.

Contact info

Democracy, Cities and Drugs
Ms Carla Napolano (Project Manager), tel. +33 1 4064 4911

Project start date

01/02/2005

Links

Visit the Democracy, Cities and Drugs website Visit the European Forum for Urban Safety website

Download the Democracy, Cities and Drugs project overview (PDF, Eng, 610 KB)

Download more information on the “Exchange programme 2006-2007” (PDF, Eng, 1.1 MB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Social services