WHO ARE WE?

We are 8 local, national and regional organizations, working in the field of: human rights, theatre, social exclusion, advocacy, prevention, harm reduction. Many of us work with youth and for young people. We hope to create strong and empowering strategic partnerships with the aim to change existing drug education situation in our countries.

“I believe, that this project will give an opportunity to step out of the bubble and create new partnerships with youth organizations in order to make drug education in our countries more efficient, accessible and non-judgmental.“

Eliza Kurcevic, Eurasian Harm Reduction Association, Lithuania

“Drug education in Central-Eastern Europe is often based on outdated views and methods, it is ideological indoctrination rather than real education. I hope this project can help us to gain a better understanding of what young people really need to reduce the harms of drug use, as well as to explore good practices that involve and empower young people.”

Peter Sarosi, Rights Reporter Foundation, Hungary

“I am hoping to move the drug education beyond an hour-long lecture by a cop once every three years.”

Jan Stola, Youth Organisations for Drug Action, Poland

“Drug education we have in our country I would barely call an education; it’s mostly trying to scare young people and not providing any adequate information. Because of that reason a lot of young people turn out to be doing harmful things to themselves. I believe that with “LET ME” project and cooperation between organizations we can change this situation and create drug education which is needed.”

Milda Arlauskaite, Young Wave, Lithuania

“I believe that drug education for young people to be efficient we need to understand their needs as well as to communication in the way it can foster meeting young people where they are at.  I hope this project will set an example, tailoring strategy for innovative communication and education tools, in the same time improving knowledge and skills of young people.”

Irena Molnar, NGO Re Generation, Serbia

“Ever since I realised how unprofessional was the drug-education in Hungary I always felt that something should be done in this matter. With this project, I hope we can start a successful, meaningful conversation, which we can use to show a new perspective for anyone who doesn’t have relevant information in this topic.”

Bálint Török, VAKU Cultural and Youth Association, Hungary

“Even though drug education is a very sensitive topic in most of our countries, we must raise awareness on its importance and find way to provide best quality systematic drug education to our youth. I am very confident that the LET ME project is a good step towards the right direction and will contribute to the efforts of many other organization and activists trying to advocate on national, regional and global level.”

Milena Zaharieva-Petkova, SMART Foundation, Bulgaria

“In our part of the world the drug education usually aims to frighten young people and to push them not to use drugs. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work well and we can see that more and more young people start using drugs every year. The effective drug education has the potential not to frighten but to involve the youth, to improve their self-understanding and to prepare them how to reduce harms when someone use drugs.”

Yuliya Georgieva , Center for Humane Policy, Bulgaria