Our Vision
Scottish Drugs Forum works towards a healthier, more equal society where:
- everyone can fulfil their personal, social and economic potential
- drugs-related harm cannot thrive
- the needs of those affected by drug use are met effectively and with empathy, compassion and respect.
Our Values
Scottish Drugs Forum values:
- personal well-being and social cohesion
- human rights and equality
- informed, open and respectful debate
development of drugs policy and practice founded on evidence of effectiveness.
Our Aims
Scottish Drugs Forum works to:
- improve the quality, range and effectiveness of service and policy responses to problematic drug use in Scotland
- reduce future and recurring problematic drug use
- promote and sustain recovery from drug problems through informing, supporting, leading and representing.
Informing; by raising awareness and improving understanding of drugs issues, drugs policy and drug-related practice through:
- developing, hosting and facilitating forums for information exchange
- providing training and research services
- providing regular communication and consultation with members on key policy and practice agendas.
Supporting; by helping drug services and wider recovery agencies and movements to achieve improved outcomes based on high quality and evidence-based responses, which are achieved through:
- capacity building within treatment services
- developing and assisting others to deliver effective models of user involvement
- assisting policy development and drawing on the expertise of our members
- assisting individuals to achieve and sustain recovery from problem drug use through volunteering and work opportunities.
Leading; by:
- encouraging new and innovative thinking and practice
- raising new issues of concern for the sector
- speaking independently and freely.
Representing; by providing informed input to the development and implementation of policy and practice on drugs/drug-related treatment and wider rehabilitation through:
- articulating the opinions and experiences of those directly affected by drug use to policymakers, policy/service planners to and through other stakeholders
- participation in a variety of influential voluntary sector, public sector and other civil society networks.