Project ADDER supports the launch of two new digital platforms

Representatives from Merseyside Police, Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, Home Office, Wirral Change Grow Live, Beacon Counselling Trust, Wirral Council, Wirral Met College, Substance Agency and Wirral Multicultural Organisation at the launch event.

Two new digital platforms, Drug Talk and the Wirral Multicultural Organisation (WMO) Digital Hub, will enable people from ethnic minority backgrounds to access support if they’re worried about drug and alcohol use for themselves, their family or friends.

WMO Digital Hub

The new WMO Digital Hub has been funded by Merseyside Police’s Project ADDER, a programme which supports and steers people away from a life of taking drugs, with the main aim to re-engage individuals into society and introduce them to programmes focused on treatment and recovery. It was launched in Merseyside in 2021 with Home Office funding.

The WMO Digital Hub has been redesigned to help the multilingual community access resources related to health and wellbeing and harm reduction.

The Hub will host a range of information for residents, partners and frontline professionals, including translated printable resources to make support and guidance accessible to everyone. The Hub will also signpost people to the Drug Talk website for advice and guidance in more than 100 languages.

Inspector Susan Stribling, lead for Project ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery) at Merseyside Police said: “We are pleased to have instigated and funded the WMO Digital Hub to bring it up to date with technology, design and information. This accessible platform will help our diverse communities access up-to-date harm reduction and treatment advice for drugs, alcohol, gambling and signposts support if someone becomes a victim of cuckooing, a form of criminal exploitation when someone takes over a person’s home for criminal activity.”

“Both digital platforms aim to remove some of barriers to accessing support and empower people to make the best decisions for their own health and wellbeing, and that of their loved ones.

“Our officers continue to target perpetrators who exploit vulnerable drug users, but this must go hand in hand with prevention and recovery. Prevention is at the heart of Project ADDER as we know that a whole-system, public health approach is vital to preventing drug related deaths, offending and drug prevalence.

“Thank you to all the partners involved who are committed towards a common goal – communities free from the harms caused by drugs.”

(L-R Jeanie Bell, Merseyside’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, D/Supt Paul Speight, Insp Susan Stribling and Ellie Halliday, Home Office) 

Drug Talk

Through unique digital and culturally sensitive features, the site’s focus will be on improving ease of access for advice and guidance for people where English may not be a first language.

Co-designed with people from ethnic minority backgrounds, the Drug Talk platform contains ‘harm reduction’ information about a range of drugs and alcohol including health risks and laws, as well as street names for each substance.

Cllr Jean Robinson, Chair of Wirral’s Health and Wellbeing board, said: “We all deserve access to support services we may need – but access can look different for different people.

“People from ethnic minorities backgrounds do not take more drugs than other people – in many instances, they take fewer drugs. However factors including; discrimination, cultural norms and poor knowledge about local services can be barriers to help and advice.

“Drug Talk is a powerful education resource for residents from ethnic backgrounds who may wish to access the same services available as their neighbours – but may struggle due to various barriers.”

While the site is available to any Wirral residents, its key features include:

1. Use of the ‘Recite’ tool – which can translate to more than 100 languages via text or audio
2. Non-stigmatising language – the website is culturally and religiously sensitive
3. Information on drugs and the law that is particularly relevant to asylum seekers, refugees or migrants

Aline Macready, CEO for Wirral Multicultural Organisation, said: "We’re excited that our experience and expertise have resulted in developing the websites. This will enable people from ethnic minority backgrounds to access support, services and information in their preferred language."

The Drug Talk website was developed following a research project undertaken with English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students at Wirral Met College.

Nicky Taylor, Head of Department for ESOL & BSL at Wirral Met College, said: “The research project was vital in providing us with evidence that this resource was greatly needed.

“It validated what our ESOL learners knew which was that there was a gap in education and education resource for people of ethnic minority, people for whom English is not their first language, asylum seekers, refugees and those of migrant status.”

Jeanie Bell, Merseyside’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chair of the Merseyside-wide Combatting Drug Partnership, said: “I’m so pleased to see the launch of the Drug Talk website and the improvements made to the WMO Digital Hub. These accessible resources will make it easier for our ethnic minority communities on the Wirral to access advice on a wide range of harmful issues and access drug and alcohol support. By supporting those who are vulnerable and giving them the help they need, we can prevent crime and build brighter futures for them, their families, and whole communities. 

“The PCC and I are committed to working with partners to deliver a whole-system approach to cutting drug-related crime and harm across the region.  Through Merseyside’s Local Combatting Drug Partnership, we are focused on driving this work forward, diverting vulnerable drug users into treatment and recovery services.

“These new and improved platforms will help to support this work, breaking down barriers and helping to improve the overall health and well-being of our local ethnic minority communities.”    

The websites have been reviewed at stages of development with the Wirral Combatting Drugs Partnership and includes key representatives from Merseyside Police’s Project ADDER initiative.

Wirral Multicultural Organisation co-produced Drug Talk with Wirral residents of ethnic minority and staff from Wirral Met College, Wirral Ways, Merseyside Police’s Project ADDER, Response, Wirral Change, Deen Centre and Heart4Refugees. It was funded through Wirral Council’s Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery (SSMTR) grant.

The websites are open to all residents.

Visit Drug Talk at: drugtalk.co.uk

Visit WMO’s Digital Hub at: wmo.org.uk