The collection contains contributions from the association's staff (STORM Association operating in Slovakia in the Nitra and Trnava regions) and other experts from practice related to the topics of low threshold, drug use, unorganized spending of free time or primary prevention in schools. In 2012, the STORM association celebrated its 10th anniversary. On this occasion, it organized a conference called "The Meaningfulness of Low-threshold Programs", the result of which was also a collection with the same title.

SPEECH

Meaningfulness of low-threshold programs or Why are we still doing it? was the main topic that resonated at the conference on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the STORM Association. Its goal was to provoke a discussion on topics that concern not only the association itself, but the whole of Slovakia.

The STORM association was founded in 2002 with the intention of providing social services on a low-threshold basis for at-risk groups of residents of towns and villages. It currently runs 4 programs: - STEP FORWARD (field work with drug users and persons working in the sex business), - CIRKUS (low-threshold club for children and youth, field social work with unorganized youth in the city of Nitra), - STEREO (primary prevention in primary and secondary schools in the Nitra and Trnava regions), - ZÓNA (low-threshold contact center in the city of Sereď).

The conference was divided into three sections, in which the speakers addressed the areas of low-threshold programs, i.e. drug use, unorganized spending of free time, primary prevention in schools. The authors of the contributions are experts from various departments, from state administration, local government, or the non-profit sector. The collection presents contributions that address current issues of the present and the future of low-threshold programs in Slovakia. Professional, as well as the lay public, as well as academic staff and university students can find a range of valuable knowledge and information on the issue in the collection, as well as inspiration for the development and improvement of low-threshold programs in Slovakia.

Andrea HUGÁŇOVÁ

CONTENT

Speech of the statutory representative of the STORM Association Mgr. Andrea Hugáňová, PhD.

Secondary prevention of drug use in the STEP FORWARD program Mgr. Pavol Ščasný – Mgr. Magdalena Halásová

Networking of social services for addicts in the context of a comprehensive approach to this issue doc. PhDr. Ľuba Pavelová, PhD.

Harm Reduction, why are we still doing it? "The meaningfulness of low-threshold programs" Mgr. Barbora Kuchárová

Experts on the street Mgr. Petra Olšanská

STEP FORWARD to the ZONE (The significance of establishing a contact center for drug users and persons working in the sex business) Mgr. Magdaléna Halásová - Mgr. Martin Valentine

Meaningfulness of the CIRKUS program Mgr. Martin Valentíny - Mgr. Magdalena Halásová

Possibilities of using the concept of nonviolent communication in a low-threshold program Mgr. Vladimír Hambalek

Low-threshold programs - challenges we overcome Mgr. Peter Kulifaj

Group work at NZDM CIRKUS B.Sc. Stanislava Kernová - Zuzana Jančová

NZDM PAVLAČ - its services and activities in a socially excluded location in Brno Mgr. Michaela Pišová

An example of good practice within the "craft has a golden bottom" project of the low-threshold field program of the civic association MLADEŽ STREET Mgr. Karina Andrášiková

The STEREO program – the possibility of prevention in primary and secondary schools Mgr. Katarína Chovancová, PhD.

Primary prevention in primary and secondary schools – theory and practice Mgr. Marta Špaleková

Collection of contributions from the conference held on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the STORM Association with the title Meaningfulness of low-threshold programs.

Published by: STORM Association, Nitra, 2012

Compilers: doc. PhDr. Ľuba Pavelová, PhD. Mgr. Katarína Chovancová, PhD.

ISBN 978-80-970667-1-0 EAN 978809066710

STORM Association The STORM association is dedicated not only to educational activities for the general public, such as A candlelight march as part of the fight against HIV/AIDS or the fight against human trafficking, etc. It systematically develops public health protection programs with target groups of drug users and people working in the sex business, but also programs of work with unorganized groups of children and youth, or students in schools. More info at www.zdruzeniestorm.sk