adf.org.au

CDAT Framework

yourroom.health.nsw.gov.au

for Action

2

Welcome to the CDAT!This exciting program funded by the NSW Ministry of Health is a vital and important community development initiative. It began at the time of the NSW Drug Summit in 1999 and aims to foster an effective local response to some of the problems associated with alcohol and other drug use by supporting local participation in dealing with local issues.

We hope you’ll find this a useful resource in getting to know your local CDAT and that you’ll enjoy sharing in its activities and projects.

3

About the CDAT Framework for ActionThis resource provides essential information on how local Community Drug Action Teams CDATs are set up and run. It includes guidelines under which the groups operate and gives CDAT members and interested stakeholders a grounding in the role and functioning of this important initiative.

Contents3 Community Drug Action Teams: What you need to know…

What is a CDAT?CDAT ObjectivesHow your CDAT worksFunding and supportPolicies guiding CDAT activityEvidence informed practice

5 Keys to a successful CDATMembershipTerms of ReferenceAuspiceMeetings and Working GroupsAnnual PlanFunding

7 Key people in Your CDATChairCo-Chair or Deputy ChairSecretaryAuspice Liaison

8 Supporting your CDAT’s workDealing with difficulty

4

5

Community Drug Action Teams: What you need to know…

What is a CDAT?Your local Community Drug Action Team is a group of volunteer local residents and workers from government and non-government services who have come together to make a difference in their community. The CDAT strives to make the local community safer, healthier and stronger by working to prevent and reduce the harms associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs. They aim to promote awareness of alcohol and other drug related harms and strategies for minimising harm and to work together on locally relevant prevention strategies.

Your CDAT, one of more than 70 across NSW, is a key part of the CDAT Program of the NSW Ministry of Health. The program is managed by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) - you can find more information in the CDAT area of the ADF website.

https://adf.org.au/programs/community-drug-action-teams-nsw/

The Local Drug Action Teams (LDATs) are also supported by the ADF. The LDAT program is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Health and about half the CDATs in NSW have secured funding through this program. The aims of the two programs are similar. LDAT funding allows for larger funding and many CDATs have taken the opportunity to upscale their CDAT work or secure funding for issues that they have identified through their CDAT projects and teams.

CDAT Objectives• Build strong partnerships amongst

community members, local service providers and government and non-government organisations across a range of sectors by encouraging stakeholder and community engagement and participation.

• Identify legal and illegal drug and alcohol related problems in the local community.

• Increase community knowledge and awareness of legal and illegal drug and alcohol harms and related social, health and wellbeing problems.

• Develop locally based initiatives to prevent uptake of illicit drug use, and the misuse of legal drugs and alcohol, in order to reduce drug and alcohol related harms.

• Collaborate with common goals in addressing local legal and illegal drug and alcohol issues.

6

How your CDAT worksUnder the guidance of agreed Terms of Reference, the CDAT meets, usually monthly, to share information and plan activities aimed at raising local community awareness, strengthening community resilience and developing protective infrastructure. Annual Action Plans are compiled using local data and agency information to identify needs. Strategies are selected on the basis of evidence of what works.

Projects developed by the CDAT may include public forums, community events, activities with young people. Each event or activity is carefully planned with a focus on a particular local issue of concern or in response to identified evidence or need. Projects should aim to build protective factors – these reduce the likelihood of harmful use of alcohol or other drugs. This may include responding to liquor license applications in partnership with the Local Health District. Other activities may include: reducing secondary supply of alcohol, promoting alcohol free events, promoting access to approved brief interventions and supporting parents and families.

CDATs may also work to reduce risk factors that increase the likelihood of alcohol or other drug use. The ADF provides a range of toolkits and resources to guide the development of projects that work to build protective factors or reduce risk factors.

The Annual Action Plan developed by the CDAT provides a guide for the year’s activities and a framework for evaluation.

Participation in the CDAT is voluntary and membership is free. The team is supported by an auspicing agency who provides assistance with finances, and the CDAT often works in partnership with other agencies or groups on collaborative project.

Funding and supportEach CDAT receives funding from the ADF for operational and project expenses and delivering evidence-based activities. This funding is supplemented by substantial in-kind support from members and their organisations.

In overseeing the program the ADF offers a range of supporting strategies. Practical guidance and support is provided by the Senior Community Development Officer (SCDO) assigned to each CDAT across the state. They are available to help with planning, implementing and evaluating local initiatives as well as providing opportunities for networking, collaboration and professional support, including regional meetings and online support. CDAT members will be surveyed about their experience of the CDAT Program. The ADF also produces and disseminates relevant resources, publications and reports and offers a wealth of online support material and assistance. NSW Health resources are also available for CDATs. This includes publications and online resources, which can be found at:

www.yourroom.health.nsw.gov.au

Policies guiding

7

CDAT activityCDAT activities are consistent with and guided by the principles outlined in the National Drug Strategy 2017–2026 [Commonwealth of Australia (Dept of Health) 2017] chief among which is the concept of harm reduction.

Evidence informed practice

It is imperative that all activities of the CDAT can be shown to be based on evidence. Specific local information on patterns of drug use, data on alcohol consumption, statistics on drug-related crime and evidence of the success of particular health promotion strategies can all be used to inform project planning and will complement data from national and state research agencies that are easily available. The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), the Centre for

Social Research in Health (CSRH) the National

Drug Research Institute (NDRI), the Australian

Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) and

Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre are among

the many agencies providing useful data to

inform planning. NSW Health statistics are also

available at:

http://www.healthstats.nsw.gov.au/

The CDAT area of the ADF website and your local

SCDO can assist you in making best use of these

key information sources.

8

MembershipTypically, your CDAT will be made up of people from a variety of backgrounds. The group should aim to have a strong mix of local residents, local business people, workers in alcohol and other drug agencies in the area, staff from community, youth, ethnic and faith- based agencies plus representatives from local government and state government agencies (eg police, health, education, welfare, housing, etc). Your locality may have particular assets you can draw in getting an effective mix of stakeholders to work on the specific alcohol and other drug issues the community faces — periodically reviewing the membership base and seeking out ways to strengthen that mix will be beneficial.

Membership of the CDAT is free and voluntary. All members will be asked to sign a Membership Agreement so that they are clear on what is expected of them and what they can expect in return. It will also provide the group with a record of basic information, including whether people have a current Working with Children Check as well as contact details. The form should be completed by each member on joining the CDAT and renewed or updated annually. A Membership Register will be kept by the Secretary and reviewed regularly to ensure details are current.

Terms of ReferenceThe structure and functions of the CDAT will be guided by its Terms of Reference, a document drawn up and agreed by the team. A template terms of reference is available to be used to develop a document tailored to suit your local needs.

This is an important reference guide that will be useful in ensuring the group maintains its focus and is able to deal with challenges that may arise. It sets out what is expected of the group and the broad scope of CDAT activity. CDATs can add other items to the Terms of Reference if they wish.

AuspiceA vital element in the successful functioning of the CDAT is its Auspice — a local organisation or body providing support to the CDAT chiefly by overseeing its budget and maintaining necessary financial records and accounts.

All funds, including core CDAT funding provided by the ADF, are managed by the auspice and are to be acquitted at the end of each funding period. In many cases the Auspice also provides other in-kind support — meeting space, secretarial support, storage of materials, etc. — for the CDAT’s work. At its Annual General Meeting

the CDAT will elect one member to the position of Auspice Liaison to serve as a link between the two groups (see Auspice Liaison role description on page 7). A simple memorandum of understanding signed on behalf of both the CDAT and the Auspice should set out the terms of the agreement between the two groups.

Keys to a successful CDATEvery CDAT in NSW is different. They are built on the varying strengths, diverse skills and life experience of their members in responding to specific concerns in its local community.To work effectively each CDAT needs to follow the guidelines set out in this section. These ideas and guidelines will help you work efficiently towards achieving your goals and assist in getting the most from your group.

9

Meetings and Working GroupsMost CDATs meet monthly to share information and plan activities. Some meet bimonthly or when a particular need is evident. Regular meetings will help ensure a cohesive and productive team and will support better planning and monitoring of your work.

Meetings will be guided by an agenda to ensure all matters are given adequate attention. Key components include monitoring the progress of the Annual Action Plan, identifying emerging issues, sharing information about resources and opportunities. Many CDATs invite specialist speakers to keep themselves up to date with developments and issues. A Meeting Record, or minutes will be prepared and available to all members following the meeting.

Many groups find it useful to convene small sub- committees or working groups to take the running on specific projects or activities and to allocate time for them at each regular meeting to update on progress, acknowledge achievements, and problem solve challenges.

Boosting equitable participation across the group and fostering a shared responsibility among all members will always be a challenge — but rewarding when achieved! It’s important to consistently acknowledge the contributions by group members and to build on the strengths and skills of members.

As well as its regular meetings your CDAT will hold an annual general meeting to review the year’s achievements and to set the direction for the coming twelve months. This is an opportunity to showcase the work of the CDAT and to promote the group to the broader community. It can be valuable to combine this meeting with a community forum with a guest speaker or similar activity and use the event to recruit new members. Where the annual general meeting is used to review and plan it should be held in alignment with the funding cycle.

Annual PlanConsidered evidence-based planning is a key element of CDAT activity. As needs and opportunities become clear and as strengths, skills and assets within the team are identified the CDAT will be able to formulate and plan for projects and evidence-based activities that will further the objectives of the CDAT. This plan will both guide the ongoing work of the group and serve as a record of achievement. Having an Annual Action Plan in place is a condition of funding from ADF and developing and monitoring are key tasks for the group. Your SCDO is available to help you and a guide with a proforma plan is available to assist in developing local plans.

FundingFunding is provided to each CDAT at the beginning of the year to fund day-to-day expenses and to support identified evidence-based activity. To obtain this funding the CDAT must agree to meet specified conditions.

Conditions of funding include – completing and supporting the pre and post activity CDAT survey, adopting current Terms of Reference, developing an evidence-based Annual Action Plan, delivering evidence-based activities to implement the plan, and ensuring that members working with young people have current Working with Children Checks.

All approved funding is provided to your CDAT through your group’s auspice. The Executive Officer of the auspice will sign off appropriate use of funds before any new funding is sought. Allocated funding should be managed by the auspice and expenditure monitored at regular CDAT meetings.

10

Key people in your CDATAt the annual general meeting several key positions will be elected from the membership. The three essential positions are Chair, Secretary and Auspice Liaison — some groups may choose to also elect a Deputy or Co-Chair, a Media Officer, Information Coordinator or any other position the group chooses. Here are the key roles each of these elected positions will undertake.

Chair• Support the CDAT to carry out its functions and comply with the CDAT Framework for Action• Liaise with the ADF Senior Community Development Officer (SCDO)• Compile meeting agenda in collaboration with the secretary• Convene and chair regular meetings of the CDAT• Facilitate informed decision-making and voting where necessary• Oversight the implementation and evaluation of all activities set out in the Action Plan• Ensure the Action Plan is updated and reviewed regularly• Acquit and provide feedback on CDAT funding• Keep committee informed of progress on activities at meetings and by email• Facilitate the annual planning process with assistance of the SCDO• Facilitate appropriate reporting to the ADF and help in the distribution of anonymous surveys to

CDAT members. • Provide comment to the media on behalf of the CDAT, unless this role is delegated.

Co-Chair or Deputy Chair (optional position)

• Deputise for the chair support in his/her absence• Carry out delegated tasks as negotiated• Provide practical support to the chair in carrying out his/her role wherever possible.

Secretary• Receive nominations for membership and maintain membership records, including current

Working with Children Checks.• Maintain the CDAT’s records including meeting agendas and minutes, terms of reference,

auspice agreement, correspondence, newsletters and media• Compile meeting agenda in collaboration with the chair and distribute to members• Record the minutes of meetings and circulate to membership within a week of the meeting• Distribute information appropriately to members between meetings.

Auspice Liaison• Act as a link between the Auspice and the CDAT particularly in relation to financial records• Arrange with the Auspice for the timely provision to the CDAT of reports on income and

expenditure to assist in the planning and monitoring of the Action Plan.

10

11

SummaryParticipation as a CDAT requires:

1. Deliver activities that are based on evidence (refer to ADF CDAT website)

2. Plan activities using local data, including data from NSW Health

3. Obtain signed membership forms from all members

4. Working to the terms of reference

5. An auspice agency

6. Regular meetings

7. Implementing an Annual Action Plan

8. Recording Working with Children Check details for any members that participate in

CDAT activities that include children

The ADF provides vital practical support to the more than 70 CDATs across NSW in a variety of ways.

Chief among these is the network of Senior Community Development Officers (SCDOs), who work closely with each CDAT in their region to assist in planning, resourcing, networking, evaluating — participating with your CDAT to assist you achieve the best outcomes. Your SCDO will help in applying for and acquitting the group’s funding, connecting you with other groups or individuals you may want to work with, updating you with relevant information or resources to contribute to the group’s planning.

There is a CDAT website loaded with information and resources your group will find useful in planning and running your activities. Other sites linked to the CDAT website are Your Room, State Library Drug Info, NSW Health Get Healthy and Positive Choices.

A Chairs’ Network provides opportunity for networking, sharing of successes and challenges, joint problem-solving through in-time contact across the state.

Periodic regional meetings and forums and an annual one-day conference provide structured opportunities for CDAT members to get together to learn, share strategies and ideas and acknowledge the great contributions being made to reduce the harmful impacts of alcohol and other drug use in local communities.

Other support

There are a number of tools and policies that have been developed to make the process of running CDATs easier. Amongst these are policies and procedures dealing with conflict and grievances, insurance and event risk assessments and child protection. In many ways member organisations will have suitable policies to use but the ADF have draft templates to be shared if necessary.

Supporting your CDAT’s workWorking with Children

Working with Children Checks are a requirement for all CDAT members who are working with children or involved in all age events (e.g. family events). This will be recorded on the Membership Agreement form.

12

© Alcohol and Drug Foundation 2019

ABN 66 057 731

Disclaimer: The Alcohol and Drug Foundation has used its best endeavour to ensure that material contained in this publicationwas correct at the time of printing.The Alcohol and Drug Foundation gives no warranty and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information and reserves the right to make changes without notice at any time in its absolute discretion.

Dealing with difficultyAs in any group conflict or disagreement may arise among members from time to time. It is especially important when working with volunteers that care is taken to address problem situations sensitively and quickly in order to lessen disruption within the group and to treat people equitably and appropriately. ADF Conflict Management policy should be observed in dealing with disputes within the group — your SCDO is able to assist. The basic steps to follow include the steps you could follow:

• encouraging the parties to speak directly with each other to resolve the point of contention alone or with another member present

• if this does not resolve the issue, asking for assistance from your SCDO to facilitate a resolution by encouraging open dialogue and looking for positive steps forward

• if progress is not made a formal complaint can be lodged through the ADF. Steps in the ADF policy will then be implemented.

yourroom.health.nsw.gov.au