News

Project Ice to continue

Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:26:00

Mildura’s successful Project Ice initiative will continue until the end of the financial year due to the generous contributions from local agencies and the community.

Project Ice is a co-operative campaign by a consortium of community, health and welfare organisations established last year as a result of concerns ice, or methamphetamine, had rapidly become a dominant drugs problem in the Mildura community.
The project was initially set down to run for six months (until February), however the committee said the level of interest and strong financial support from Mildura businesses and organisations would allow it to continue until the end of June.
Health agencies last year were concerned ice had become the second most-common illicit drug in Mildura.  Project Ice was established to promote issues around its prevalence and effects with a high-profile awareness campaign.  Promotions have included posters, roadside and bus billboards, television and radio advertising and strong coverage in the news media.
“We were concerned ice was emerging as a huge problem, as reported by our health and drug treatment agencies, but as far as the community was concerned, it was going under the radar,” Northern Mallee Community Partnership’s Michelle Withers said.
“Our campaign message was to ‘get the facts about ice’ – the aim being to increase community awareness about ice, and by doing that, build community resilience against the drug,” she said.
“We also hoped the campaign would prompt increased reporting about drug activity to police through Crimestoppers – and that aspect of the campaign has also been really successful.”
Ms Withers said a key element of the campaign had been ongoing community information sessions, where community-members receive information from experts and are able to ask questions.
Approximately 900 people have attended the sessions so far, with the community being offered three final opportunities over the next three months.
The last community information sessions are scheduled for April 8, May 13 and June 10 at Sunraysia Community Health meeting room in Ramsay Court.
Project Ice has also made facilitators available to run sessions at the request of community organisations, sporting groups and local businesses. 
Another 25 of these sessions have been booked until the end of April and other interested groups can book sessions through Northern Mallee Community Partnership on 03 5021 7671. 
The success of Project Ice Mildura will be the subject of an independent evaluation, with the learnings from the campaign already being taken up by communities elsewhere in developing their own drugs campaigns.
Information about Project ICE Mildura and ice-related issues is available from the Northern Mallee Primary Care Partnership website www.northernmalleepcp.org
Anyone with drug or alcohol problems can get assistance and support from Sunraysia Community Health Drug Treatment Services team (5022 5444) or Mallee District Aboriginal Services Alcohol and Other Drugs team (5018 4100).  Information about drug-related activity or crime can be reported anonymously to Crime Stoppers 1800 333000 or www.vic.crimestoppers.com.au