DDN CONFERENCE
MY ROAD , MY CHOICE
Will you be at this year ’ s DDN Conference , asks Anna Millington
This year the DDN conference name is important . It recognises that there are many roads users ( of both drugs and alcohol ) walk and many different destinations we seek to get to . For some users this is recovery and abstinence , for others it is having a stable base line – controlled use . Others want medication and to be substance free . Then there are those who simply want effective harm reduction . All of them are valid , all roads should be included .
It ’ s not mine or anyone else ’ s role to tell users what ’ s the best road – that ’ s a personal choice that they must make for themselves . It ’ s the role of organisations , activists , representatives and providers to give users a clear , evidence-led useful and effective map … not to tell users what they ‘ should ’ be doing / thinking or what ‘ should ’ be happening . This is the benefit of the DDN conference – its focus is not on a particular road whether that ’ s recovery , criminal justice , etc . It ’ s a conference about the needs and wants of users , the choices offered to us and the specific work being carried out by us or with us . Sometimes we will agree with it , sometimes we won ’ t .
The conference theme this year was developed with users walking different roads , organisations , and providers offering different things . If you are a user who wants to get involved , have your say , develop your voice and better understand
this sector then you should be at the conference . If you are an activist , it shouldn ’ t matter what you are acting on behalf of ( abstinence , recovery , the end of prohibition , safer consumption sites ) you should be at this conference . If you are a harm reductionist it is vital you are involved because there are so many innovative new approaches – you should be at this conference . If you are an organisation or provider you should have no real set agenda apart from users ’ wants / needs and so should be listening to , taking part in and responding to this conference .
It is vitally important that we set aside our personal opinions and look at the bigger picture . Who do you represent ? Who / what are you fighting for ? What is it you are really trying to achieve ? We will continue to fail to make radical change unless we work together . Let us not move backwards a decade to when we allowed others to pit us against each other .
We often talk about stigma in a very narrow way but stigma happens within the using communities , it happens in relation to the choice of substance or how you take the substance , it happens within organisations . The most effective way to combat stigma is by recognising it . This occurs when we talk , when we share , when we really listen – when we disagree on which road we walk , but can agree that issues like saving people on any road are important .
If you are a provider or an organisation that offers funds to support user inclusion and empowerment , please try to make sure that you helping ALL users to attend who wish to .
Anna Millington runs a non-funded , non-affiliated support network for mothers who use drugs
HOW DO I BOOK ?
SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM
WE ’ VE KEPT PRICES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE . YOU CAN BOOK TICKETS VIA OUR WEBSITE EITHER AS AN INDIVIDUAL FROM AS LITTLE AS £ 75 OR GET IN TOUCH TO DISCUSS BRINGING A GROUP ALONG .
To get funding , approach your local commissioner or service , explain the benefits of being there and ask them to support you . and your group to attend .
22 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • JUNE 2023 WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM