The role of the community and voluntary sector in developing effective responses to drug and alcohol misuse is now clearly recognised and appreciated1. The Ballymun Youth Action Project has been to the forefront of this response from the outset, through the development of prevention education, community based treatment responses, and research initiatives designed to identify community specific patterns.
This strategic plan provides another tool in the ongoing development of this response. It is drawn up in a context marked by economic challenge and uncertainty, but at the same time in circumstances where there is evidence of greater openness toward interagency work, the integration of services, and a clear emphasis on client focused outcomes.
It is hoped that this document will provide support for the enormous amount of ongoing services provided by the Ballymun Youth Action Project, and at the same time provide clear direction in relation to future developments within our work and the way in which we organise our work.