Preventiimi is a national knowledge centre that operates as a specialist and support service in the implementation of youth substance abuse prevention. In that field Preventiimi aims to increase overall knowledge among professionals working with youth substance abuse prevention by promoting research, evaluation and high-quality work, and providing further training and counseling. Preventiimi is administered by University of Applied Sciences (HUMAK) since 2003 and funded by Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland.
Preventiimi has a specialist network of over 100 member organizations. These organizations represent municipalities, organizations, foundations, parishes, companies and institutions of learning. Preventiimi encourages responsible networking in which the member organizations commit to actively developing their own expertise and the overall field of youth substance abuse prevention. Preventiimi arranges peer support meetings, excursions, sends out monthly bulletins and offers a chance to learn more about quality in preventive work. The network members also mutually share their expertise and take part in developing new ideas and methods for youth substance abuse prevention.
Preventiimi has also some international engagements and co-operation. Preventiimi visits some European country each year in order to learn about the preventive work done there, and to introduce its work to foreign organizations as well. Visitors are also welcome to make an excursion to Preventiimi learn more about us and the finnish preventive work. For contact info, materials in english and other informative links, see below.
In case you have any questions, please feel free to contact Preventiimi.
And yet it works! Sober notes on public substance education
Markku Soikkeli, Mikko Salasuo, Anne Puuronen & Matti Piispa. © Finnish Youth Research Society and the authors 2011. The purpose of this publication is to help the reader understand the significance of public education in alcohol and drug prevention and to encourage those involved in alcohol and drug prevention to leverage communications means
and to develop their media savvy. Link.
What is youth substance abuse prevention? Support material for first-rate substance educationThis publication is defining some general starting points and goals of youth substance abuse prevention that the actors in the field can use in the planning and quality assurance of their operations. You can read the publication in english here.
Reaching for the Quality star Preventive substance abuse work in Finland is guided by quality criteria, which sets the basic standard for all the work that is done in this field. You can find the quality criteria in english here.
More information about alcohol, drugs and the various other issues connected in substance abuse prevention:
An European network of bodies promoting the use of telematics
for the prevention of drugs and other substance misuse
The European school survey projects on alcohol and other drugs.
The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs. Survey is conducted every 4 years.
European drug prevention quality standards
A manual for prevention professionals. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) 2011.
Alcohol policies in the Northern dimension countries
NDPHS Expert Group on Alcohol and Substance Abuse Thematic Report
Series No. 1/2011
www.minedu.fi/export/sites/default/OPM/Julkaisut/2012/liitteet/OKM8.pdf
Child and Youth Policy Programme 2012–2015. Publications of the Ministry of Education and Culture 2012:8.
