UNDUN
Unified Networkers of Drug Users Nationally
Ongoing Meetings
The UNDUN user group trys to meet every two weeks in Kingston (first and third Wednesday afternoon of the month). However, winter conditions interfer with consistency. UNDUN is also trying to establish a rural users meeting.
Injection Drug Use Task Force for Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
UNDUN is a working member of this task force. The Task Force steering committee meets monthly at the Public Health Unit in Belleville, Ontario. As well, UNDUN members serve on various working committees of the Task Force.
Ontario Minister of Health Select Advisory Task Force on Hepatitis C
UNDUN coordinator Deb Breau was appointed to this committee for a two year term (April 2005 - April 2007) by the Ontario Minister of Health. This Task Force meets monthly in Toronto. Deb is currently serving a second term from April 2007-April 2009.
Interim Board of Directors, International Network of People Who Use Drugs
Brent Taylor was elected to serve on the Interim Board of Driectors of the INPUD at a General Assembly meeting at Barcelona, Spain on May 15th. Also serving on the Interim Board are members from Brazil, Nepal, Australia, England, Spain, France, U.S.A., Macedonai, and Indonesia.
Working Group, Canadian Network of People Who Use Drugs (CANDU)
UNDUN sits of the working group to to establish CANDU. This project has been ongoing since the 1st Canadian Drug Users Congress in Vancouver, May 2006. Working group operates by online discussion, email lists, and teleconferences to establish a legally registered, not-for-profit association. CANDU will eventually serve as an umbrella association and strong advocacy voice for the human rights of people who use illicit drugs in Canada.
Awarness and Education Events
The HIV Prevention Research Team at the University of Ottawa is doing a study on What Women and Men who Smoke Crack Have to Say about HIV and HCV Prevention. The research will consist of several components - in-depth personal interviews, guided focus group discussions, and a quantitative questionnaire.
UNDUN is participating as a collaborative partner in this research project. We assisted with several other community people in developing the focus group guided questions, and we will be acting as facilitators for several of the focus group discussions - the older men's focus group, and the older women's focus group. Other focus groups will occur with Aboriginal crack users, Sex Workers and Youth.
June 5, 2008 : Addiction - It's Not Just About Drugs , Harm Reduction Public Forum, Belleville, Ontario
UNDUN is participating as speakers at this public eduction event organized by the Injection Drug Use Harm Reduction Task Force of Hastings-Prince Edward Counties. The keynote speaker will be Diane Riley, of the Canadian Centre on Drug Policy, who is also a member of the Bellevile Harm Reduction Task Force.
May 29-30, 2008 : National Framework for Action to Reduce the Harms, Toronto, Ontario
Representing CANDU (Canadian Network of Drug Users) and UNDUN, Deb Breau and Brent Taylor took part in the Second Forum discussions regarding the National Framework. The Forum was attended by roughly 100 people (stateholders) from a broad array of interests regarding the harms associated with Alcohol and Other Drugs and Substances in Canada.
The First Forum occurred three years ago and set forth 13 key areas of concern for the National Framework. The purpose of the Second Forum was to re-visit the key areas and see whether they are still valid and to encourage further initiatives to happen. Ann Livingstone, VANDU organizer, was in attendence, as was Darlene Palmer from Cactus Montreal - both also members of CANDU. And Bill Nelles, from the soon to be launched National Opiate Treatment Association of Canada, also attended. Together these five represented the user involvement group at the Forum (and improvement from three years ago when only two "user reps" attended).
There was apparent consensus among participants that the principles of "Nothing About Us Without Us" should apply to all future work around the National Framework, however time will tell how honourably such committment to user inclusion is operationalized. The National Framework is not an organization, but rather a way of considering what needs to be happening with drug services overall in Canada, and an effort to ensure progress is being made in all key areas. The principles of the National Framework include that "those most affected are meaninfully involved" so it is beholden on the Secretariat for the Framework Forums to reach out to user representatives and offer them participation in the process. Ongoing partitipation by UNDUN, VANDU and CANDU will work to ensure that more user representation exists in future work on the National Framework.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) acts as the Secretariat for the National Framework discussions.
May 11-15, 2008 : 19th International Harm Reduction Conference, Barcelona, Spain
Virtually at the last minute, Deb Breau and Brent Taylor, UNDUN coordinators, received a generous grant from the Ontario Hepatitis C Secretariat which enabled us to attend this year's International Conference. We also we given a few more generous donations from individuals, and from the Injection Drug Use Harm Reduction Task Force in Bellevile, ON.
We will be attending the 3rd International Drug Users Congress which is organized by the International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD).
We will be keeping a blog of our trip to Barcelona and our impressions of the conference in a blog hosted with Xanga.
March 2,3 and 4, 2008 : Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program Annunal Conference, Ottawa, Ontario
UNDUN coordinator, Brent Taylor, participated in a panel presentation on "Organizing Drug User Groups". Also on the panel were Raffi Balian, coordinator of CounterFit Needle Exchange at South Riverdale Community Health Centre in Toronto, Paul Lavaigne, director of The Site Needle Exchange in Ottawa, and Jen, patient peer volunteer with methadone program at Street Health Centre in Kingston. The panel was moderated by Walter Cavaleri from the Canadian Harm Reduction Network.
CounterFit is one of the most innovative, consumer-involved needle exchanges in Toronto, Ottawa's The Site program is one of the earliest city run needle exchanges in the country, and the Street Health Centre in Kingston is a model for comprehensive street-based health delivery, involving medical staff (doctors, nurses, psychologists), peer groups, a methadone program, and the city's needle exchange.
The "Organizing Drug User Groups" workshop was attended by approx. 25 people and evolved into a very lively discussion about the role and value of autonomous, user-griven groups, as constrasted to peer programs associated with agencies. While recognizing usefulness which agency's peer programs have played, the workshop emphasized a fundamental, distinct difference between agency's peer projects and drug user groups, which are user-managed, user-driven unique organizations in and of themselves. Many participants in the workshop wanted to continue exploring the role and possibilities for drug user groups in Ontario, and greater users participation in the OHRDP's annunal conferences, and decided to keep communicating through an email discussion group.
The Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program (OHRDP) oversees the centralized distribution of harm reduction supplies to all the public health needle exchange programs in the province of Ontario. The 2008 conference was entitled "Doing What Works" and you can view conference highlights here.
One of the conference's keynote speakers was Dr. Gabor Mate, with the Portland Hotel Society in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside community. Dr. Mate's recently published book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, focusses upon his work with homeless, illicit drug using, impoverished people. Senator Larry Campbell, former Mayor of Vancouver and RCMP officer, lead another workshop which explored factors involved in working with police around harm reduction issues. Another conference highlight was the Cultural Fix evening of poetry readings which Brent participated in.
February 4, 2008 : MP Lobbying and Public Forum for a Sensible Drug Policy, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario
UNDUN will be participating in group lobbying of federal MPs throughout the day on February 4 on Parliament Hill. This event is being organized by Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy. Following the lobbying of MPs, there will be a Public Forum with several panalists urging for the reframing of Canada's Drug Policy as heath focussed, rather than criminal. As stated in outreach bulletin, "Criminalizing drug users doesn’t work. Harm reduction does. Outreach programs, needle exchanges, safer inhalation programs and Vancouver’s supervised injection site are reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and HCV and increasing the number of people accessing treatment".
October 31, 2007 : Presentation to combined classes of Social Service Workers/Addiction Studies students at St.Lawrence College, Kingston, Ontario
Very lively 2 hour session with approx. 70 students on harm reduction, ending drug war with regulated drug markets, and community development through drug user groups. Students were very interested and full of questions.
October 25, 2007 : begin Phase 3 of Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program Evaluation Survey
May, 2007 : Completed Phase 2 of Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program Evaluation Survey
UNDUN has been asked by the Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Public Health Unit to assist them with the OHRDP Evaluation Survey. Accordingly, we are conducting interviews of 70 injection drug users in the greater Belleville, Ontario area. As well, we are similarly conducting interviews for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit in Smith Falls, Ontario in order that they can complete the survey of injection drug users in their area.
The OHRDP Evaluation Survey is a three phase interview process. Some 38 Public Health Unit's in Ontario are responsible for completing the survey in their catchement areas. Each phase is six months from the previous one, and 70 injection drug users are interviewed in all three phases in all 38 areas. Accordingly, when completed, this survey will provide one of the most comprehensive overviews of the behaviours of injection drug users in Ontario, even though the survey is particularly focussed on users relationship to, and utilization of, the needle exchange programs run by local health units.
We completed Phase 1 interviews in the Belleville area in November, 2006, Phase 2 interviews in May, 2007, and Phase 3 interviews are set to begin in October 2007.
The survey is being overseen by the HIV Prevention Research Team of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
March 19, 2007 : Reflecting and Moving Forward: Next Step in the OHRDP Evaluation, Toronto, Ontario
Paricipated in day-long evaluation and update session for upcoming Phase Two of OHRDP's province-wide survey of paricipant's in needle exchange programs.
March 7, 2007 : Class Presentation at St. Lawrence College, Kingston, Ontario
Spoke to combined classes of Addiction Program and Corrections Program students about harm reduction and sensitivity to the realities of people dependent on substances. Fielded lots of questions and had a lively dialogue.
November 28, 2006 : Nothing About Us Without Us, workshop for In the Mind's Eye Substance Use Forum, Waterloo, Ontario
Speaking on issues of meaningfully involving injection drug users in the development and application of community's substance use programs. UNDUN will highlight the history of drug user groups in Canada and the role that groups of persons who use illicit drugs can serve in creating more effective programs to meet the needs of drug users and the community, and the preventions of using-specific health related harms, such as HIV and HepC. Also speaking at the same forum is Richard Pearshouse, Senior Policy Analysist with the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network which produced the booklet Nothing About Us Without Us.
September 15, 2006 : Workshop on Specifics of Injecting Drugs and Involving Users, Smith Falls Public Health Unit, Smith Falls, Ontario
UNDUN co-ordinators presented an interactive workshop for Public Health nurses who are working with a recently established needle exchange program of the Leeds Grenville Lanark Health Unit in Eastern Ontario. Approximately 16 nurses asked questions on a broad range of their concerns regarding drug preparations, drug types, and how they might more effectively develop their needle exchange program. UNDUN suggested emphasis be made to involve local users as key outreach and education participants in the program as peer helpers, and that the Health Unit develop a workshop for key user helpers in order that their assistance be more formalized.
August 13-18, 2006 : 16th International AIDS Conference, Toronto, Ontario
UNDUN has received two full scholarships to participate in this major world conference.
June 27/28, 2006 : Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program Evaluation Study, Interviewers Workshop, Toronto, Ontario
The Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program is undertaking an three-phase Evaluation Study to determine the risk behaviours of injection drug users across Ontario and gague their awareness and accessibility to harm reduction programs, particularly needle exchanges. The Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program is setting up a streamlined clearinghouse distribution point for needle exchange programs in the province and the study will present snapshots of users' responses prior to the new distribution program, at six months, and again after a year of it operating.
Over 35 needle exchange programs from across the provinces are taking part in the study which consists of interviewing 70 injection drug users in their regions. UNDUN will be undertaking the interviewing of injection drug users in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties on behalf of the Public Health Unit's needle exchange program in those two counties. The first phase of interviews is in Summer 2006, second in Winter 2007, and the third in Summer 2007.
May 5, 2006 : 1st Canadian Congress of People Who Use Illicit Drugs, Vancouver, B.C.
UNDUN helped to organize this first Congress of Canadian Drug Users. Some 80 user activists from most regions of Canada were invited to participate, as well as a select group of international drug user activists, and representatives of relevant agencies and organizations in Canada. The focus of the day was the establishment of a national organization for Canadian drug users, tentatively called the Canadian Coalition of People Who Use Drugs. Working groups were established to continue developing this national organization. UNDUN is a part of the ongoing working groups which will continue meeting through teleconferences and an online forum
April 30 - May 4, 2006 : 17th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm, Vancouver, B.C.
The International Harm Reduction Association's annual world conference is the major harm reduction conference in the world. The 2006 conference was attended by some 2000 persons from over 100 countries (activists, frontline workers, government officials, researchers, and medical workers). Stephen Lewis, U.N. Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, presented the opening keynote address.
UNDUN coordinator Brent Taylor presented as a Major Session Speaker on "Drug Users Working With Government". UNDUN coordinator Deb Breau chaired a major session on "Advocacy for Users". UNDUN co-presented a workshop on "Peer Support and Drug Policy" which we co-designed with a harm reduction activist from Belgium.
Deb and Brent were members of the Drug Users Advisory Team for this conference. The DUAG consisted of some 20 user activists from across Canada who were tasked to increase the participation of people who use drugs in all aspects of the conference - as attendees, speakers, consultants, and volunteers. For a year prior to the conference, the DUAG met through weekly teleconferences and two face-to-face meetings in Vancouver, and hosted a website to plan and coordinate user involvement in the IHRA's 2006 Conference, and 1st Canadian Congress of People Who Use Illicit Drugs on the day following the conference. The DUAG's participation in this conference was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
March 29, 2006 : Community Services Fair, Kingston, Ontario
UNDUN presented an information booth for this community networking event and gave a short workshop about the current status drug user groups in Canada.
February 22, 2006 : Class Presentations at St. Lawrence College, Kingston, Ontario
Two presentations to two different classes at community college on Harm Reduction and the realities faced by illicit drug users. Presented to a class of approx. 25 students in Addictions program.
January 29/30, 2006 : Drug Users Advisory Team meeting, Vancouver, B.C.
Two days of face to face meetings of user activists from across Canada who are serving as the Drug Users Advisory Team for the International Harm Reduction Association's 2006 World Conference, April 30 - May 4 in Vancouver. These face-to-face meetings are being financially supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The Drug Users Advisory Team is also organizing a Canadian Drug Users Congress for May 5, the day following the International Conference. This Congress is intended to be a major step toward the creation of a Canadian Network of Drug User Groups.
January 24, 2006 : Research Subject for Master's Thesis in Rehabilitative Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
First of several direct interview sessions as principle research subjects for a Master's Thesis for Rehabilitative Medicine. There is thus far little research on drug users from the perspective of Rehabilitative Medicine.
January 18, 2006 : Rethinking Canada's Drug Policy - public Forum on Canadian drug policy at Queen's University. This forum is being organized by UNDUN, with co-sponsorship by Queen's Law School and OPIRG-Kingston.
Confirmed speakers:
Eugene Oscapella - lawyer, professor, director of Candian Foundation for Drug Policy
Libby Davies - Member of Parliament, Vancouver East, NDP Social Justice critic, website
Pending confirmation:
Bub Osborn - poet, co-founder VANDU (Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users), community activist with Creative Resistance
November 10, 2005 : User Doctoring Workshop, Kingston, Ontario
Information on self-care for users with the assistance of 2 nursing students from Queen's University Nursing School. $5 participation stipend for active users who attend the workshop. HIV/AIDS Regional Services of Kingston provided the space for this workshop to take place.
October 28, 2005 : Harm Reduction Presentation, Algonquin College, Perth, Ontario
Two and a half hour presentation and class discussion on Harm Reduction and the realities faced by illicit drug users. Presented to a class of approx. 25 students in Addictions program.
October 24/25, 2005 : Drug Users Advisory Team meeting, Vancouver, B.C.
Two days of face to face meetings of user activists from across Canada who are serving as the Drug Users Advisory Team for the International Harm Reduction Association's 2006 Conference, April 30 - May 5 in Vancouver.
September 27, 2005 : OPIRG Harm Reduction Workshop, Kingston, Ontario
Presented a workshop to members of OPIRG Kingston about drug user issues, the Belfast International Harm Reduction conference, and harm reduction.
August 22, 2005 : Presentation to annual Picnic of FUN User Group, Toronto, Ontario
Attended the Parkdale FUN (Finally Understanding Narcotics) User Group annual picnic at the Parkdale Community Health Centre. Spoke about user organizing and the upcoming User Congress in Vancouver 2006. Attending by approx. 40 active users from the Parkdale neighbourhood.
August 15, 2005 : Users Unite! Report on Belfast International Harm Reduction Conference
Informational meeting for users in Kingston, Ontario about Belfast International Harm Reduction Conference. Deb Breau, UNDUN coordinator, went to the Belfast conference. Seventeen active drug users from Kingston attended this information session.
May 31, 2005 : public screening of THE FIX! movie in Belleville, Ontario.
UNDUN are working members of the Injection Drug Use Harm Reduction Task Force Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. The Task Force sponsored a free showing of the film at the main theatre in downtown Belleville. About 200 members of the public attended. Two UNDUN members spoke as part of the panel following the film.
March 20-24, 2005 : 16th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Deb Breau attended this world conference of the International Harm Reduction Association. Deb also took part in the International Users Working Group sessions which took place around the conference, and had a delegation meet with IHRA officials. She also appeared on N.Ireland t.v. talk show about user activism.
Deb was able to attend this conference because of the generous support of several local harm reduction agencies who contributed donations to cover the cost of conference registration, airfare, and accomodation. CLICK to see a short video of pictures Deb took while at the conference.
March 18, 2005 : 1st Canadian Crack Conference, Ottawa, Ontario
Attended the conference.
All Human Beings are Born Free and Equal in Dignity and Rights
UNDUN and VANDU members at the Human Rights Monument in Ottawa
February 7, 2005 : Community Planning Working Group for HIV/AIDS Services in Southeastern Ontario
UNDUN coordinator Brent Taylor was accepted as a "community champion" representing drug users on this planning group for HIV/AIDS services for the Southeastern Ontario Health Region. The Working Group will meet monthly over the next nine months to develop a complete report on HIV/AIDS services and needs for Southeastern Ontario. Several small community meetings will be held as part of the process of developing the report. Reports are being compiled by all Health Regions in Ontario. Reports will be presented to the Provincial AIDS Bureau in November, 2005.
February 2, 2005 : Round Table Dinner, Queen's University
Harm Reduction talk to attendees at Round Table Dinner. Approx. 20 students participated.
December 2-4, 2004 : Ontario Hepatitis C Coalition
Paticipated in the founding meeting of the Ontario Hepatitis C Coalition. Serve on working group committees.
November 23/25, 2004 : Workshop for Welfare Workers, Trenton, Ontario
Harm Reduction workshop presented to approx. 30 staff from city's social assistance workers. Screened THE FIX! film with discussion following.
October 28, 2004 : Workshop for Children's Aids Society workers, Belleville, Ontario
Presentation to staff of CAS regarding drug user issues. Attended by approx. 20 staff members.
October 14, 2004 : Workshop for Social Assistance workers, Belleville, Ontario
Harm Reduction awareness workshop for staff of the welfare department of City of Belleville. Attended by approx. 30 staff and administration.
April 28, 2004 : Harm Reduction Public Education workshop, Belleville, Ontario
Organized by the Injection Drug Use Task Force. This workshop was for all health, social service and community-based agencies in the Belleville, Ontario area. Our presentation was on drug user issues and the successes of harm reduction practices. Attended by approx. 40 social service agency staff.
April 22, 2004 : Methadone Conference, Kingston, Ontario
Participated in a conference on methadone issues for social service and health agencies in the region.
April 23, 2004 : Protest Conditions at Quinte Regional Detention Centre, Napanee, Ontario
10 UNDUN members held an information picket at the front gate of the jail to protest overcrowding condtions, particularly as they impact detrimentally upon the health of detainees who are HIV+.
UNDUN members protest at main gate of Quinte Detention Centre
March 27 - April 2, 2004 : Canadian Hepatitis C National Conference, Vancouver, B.C.
Attended the conference in Vancouver. Participated in drug user attendees meeting hosted by VANDU at their Downtown Eastside office.
February 1, 2004 HIV/AIDS Regional Service : Volunteer Training Workshop
Presented a Drug User Harm Reduction workshop for agency volunteeers focussing on anti-stigma and harm reduction awareness from a drug users perspective.
January 23.24, 2004 : Health and Human Rights Conference - Queen's University
Presented a workshop on harm reduction from a drug users perspective. Panel participants following the showing of THE FIX! film. Attended by approximately 200 students and faculty and community members.
October 24 -26, 2003 : THE FIX! / VANDU Capacity Building Tour, Kingston, Ontario
Organized three nights of screenings of THE FIX! film at a downtown Kingston theatre. Participated in public forums following the movie. Hosted a VANDU user group meeting. 4 members of VANDU participated, as well as Nettie Wild, filmer of FIX! documentary. Theatre was sold out all three nights.
September 13, 2003 : Music and Awareness for Harm Reduction, Kingston, Ontario
Organized an outdoor all-day concert in the main downtown park in Kingston. Speakers on harm reduction topics between the bands. Informational booths.
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Since May 16, 2007