Summary of organization’s strategic orientation
On each government level public funding for prevention programs is being provided. However, significant amounts of funding are spent on projects that are not in line with official prevention standards (e.g. for anti-drug sports campaigns, one-time activities, lectures, etc.) – with high potential risks of doing harm rather than being effective. Our focus is to increase capacities of decision, opinion and policy makers (DOPs) in the field of science-based prevention and facilitate well-informed choices about funding and implementation priorities at national, regional and local levels. As a final outcome we will work on the development and advocate for the adoption of minimum quality standards in substance use prevention on the level of Federation of BiH.
Beneficiaries
Decision, opinion and policy makers (DOPs) will get confidence in selecting evidence-based prevention programs, and tools to assess the value of different types of evaluation and levels of evidence. They will sharpen their perception of how regulatory, economic and physical environments influence heavily and inconspicuously humans’ behavior, and how they can be used to facilitate and sustain healthier behavior. DOPs will also learn how to distinguish potentially useful mass media approaches from potentially harmful ones.
Expected impact:
- More funding for evidence-based prevention programs
- Less costs for future health, social and crime issues
- Better conditions for children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, to grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age.
