The Train Outreach Project: an innovative approach to drug and alcohol issues, young people and trai

1
The Train Outreach Project an innovative
approach to drug and alcohol issues, young people
and trains

• Dr Trudi CooperSenior Lecturer, Youth Work
• Edith Cowan University
• PATREC Research Forum
• 4 September 2007

2
Introduction

• project addresses some problems posed by alcohol
  and drug affected young people on suburban trains
• the presentation will
• outline the project
• briefly the rationale and methods
• identify primary and secondary stakeholders
• outline evaluation process

3
Problem context

• use of public transport by intoxicated people
  promoted on grounds of safety to road users
• TOs have a duty of care to passengers who are not
  able to take care of themselves, including
  intoxicated people, especially young people
• unmanaged aggressive or nuisance behaviour by
  intoxicated passengers
• reduces willingness of other passengers to use
  public transport
• increases job stress for Transit Officers (TOs)

4
The project

• Train Outreach Project (TOP) contacts young
  people who are intoxicated, and offers informal
  counselling and practical help
• collaboration between the Public Transport
  Authority (PTA) and Drug ARM WA
• Armadale to Cannington on one evening each
  weekend from 8pm until 1am
• Detached youth work methods
• 20th April 2007 for five months

5
Anticipated benefits

• direct benefit to PTA duty of care
• direct benefit to young people safety and drug
  alcohol early intervention
• direct benefit to public perception that
  situation is being managed
• likely indirect benefits to wider community
  through reduced crime and medical costs by
  earlier intervention

6
TOP team and training

• two trained youth workers with four volunteers
  operate in two teams on the same train
• all have senior first aid certificates
• volunteer training provided participants with
• skills to engage positively with young people
• briefing on how to operate on the train
• listening skills, drug and alcohol information,
  how to deal with clients in difficult
  circumstances,
• the different roles of Drug ARM and PTA personnel

7
Primary stakeholders

• PTA
• Drug ARM WA
• passengers who travel on weekend evening trains

8
PTA

• support for duty of care role of TOs
• reduces role conflict for TO
• alternative source of intervention that avoids
  arrests
• allows TO to stay on trains in security role
  while TOP team manage young person(s)

9
Drug ARM WA

• aligns with Drug ARMs mission to provide care,
  support, education and counselling to individuals
  and families affected by drug or alcohol abuse
• complements Drug ARMs Street Van Program and
  Leavers week programs
• Articulates with Time Out unit (sobering up unit
  for young people)

10
Passengers

• increased passenger perception of safety
• reduced passenger concern about unmanaged
  intoxicated behaviour
• allows age-appropriate intervention for
  intoxicated young people

11
Secondary stakeholders

• DAO Provides earlier access to hard-to-reach
  young people at risk of drug or alcohol abuse
  problems
• OCP Reduction of crime by intoxicated young
  people transported from end stations
• DCP/ OCP Child protection and reduced
  victimisation

12
Secondary stakeholders

• DAO/ DoH Reduced health costs (both long and
  short term) of early intervention
• OCY Addresses two 2006-2008 priorities
  especially increasing awareness of inappropriate
  alcohol consumption
• DPI Contributes to goal of accessible and safe
  transport system

13
Project evaluation

• Is TOP feasible in practical terms?
• What are the benefits and who are the
  beneficiaries?

14
Evaluation data sources

• interviews with the Drug ARM WA program manager
  and the Transit Officer Manager.
• anonymous questionnaire to Transit Officers, TOP
  staff and volunteers about their perceptions of
  the utility and effectiveness of the TOP, and
  their perceptions of passenger responses
• contact sheets and incident reports filed by Drug
  ARM

15
Interim outcomes

• contacts per shift highly variable weather and
  event dependent
• incidents documented where TOP has assisted TOs
  in duty of care and allowed them to resume
  security role quickly
• drug and alcohol information provided to young
  people and parents
• increased referrals to Time Out centre from TOs
  on other nights
• provision of care and transport to young people
  at risk

16
Conclusions

• interim evaluation indicates project is feasible
• benefits spread across different government
  agencies
• some immediate benefits
• project duration too short to monitor long term
  benefit
• long term funding not yet secured
• will request inclusion of passenger evaluation in
  future PTA passenger surveys