Eco- therapy for people with substance abuse disorders
▶Summary
Our project addresses the urgent need for specialised training in ecotherapy for professionals working with substance misuse disorders. Substance abuse is a major social problem in the EU, with hi...
▶Objectives
The implementation of our project was driven by a set of clear objectives to address the pressing needs in the field of substance misuse treatment: - To train professionals, particularly drug and alcohol counsellors, to better support people with substance misuse disorders. We provided comprehensive training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to integrate ecotherapy into their practice. - To introduce ecotherapy as an innovative approach to drug and alcohol counsellors. By adding nature-based interventions to their therapeutic toolkit, we aimed to transform their practice. - To meet the demand for highly qualified drug and alcohol treatment professionals by improving the skills of counsellors. Our training initiatives aimed to improve treatment outcomes by raising the standard of care. - To support training institutions and treatment centres in integrating ecotherapy courses and sessions. We provided guidance and resources to facilitate the seamless integration of ecotherapy into existing curricula and treatment programmes, thereby increasing access to nature-based interventions for those in need.
▶Activities
A number of activities were undertaken to empower professionals, support training institutions and therapy centres, and promote the integration of ecotherapy into substance misuse treatment and vocational training. These activities included: - Research and development: Undertaking extensive research to understand the potential and benefits of ecotherapy in the treatment of substance misuse disorders, which formed the basis of our project resources. - Development of educational materials: Developing the Guide (R1), Curriculum (R2) with open educational resources (OERs), and a digital toolkit tailored for counsellors and trainers that provide practical guidance on the implementation of ecotherapy (R3). - Training initiatives: Organising meetings and workshops to train professionals in ecotherapy principles and practices, thereby improving the quality of care. - Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): Developing a flexible online course for professionals interested in ecotherapy training, promoting accessibility and flexibility. - Evaluation and testing: Rigorous evaluation of all deliverables to ensure quality and effectiveness through feedback and refinement. The project was widely disseminated through online channels and local meetings.
▶Impact
Eco-Therapy has produced four key results: 1. A guide for training institutions and therapy centres, offering practical guidelines based on extensive research. This resource provides insights into best practice in ecotherapy and aims to fill gaps in current curricula. 2. An ecotherapy curriculum and open educational resources for drug and alcohol abuse counsellors. These materials enhance counsellors' skills and confidence in delivering ecotherapy sessions. 3. A digital toolkit tailored for VET trainers, incl. exercises and tools. This resource provides trainers with the tools to seamlessly integrate ecotherapy into their training programmes. 4. A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that allows professionals to deepen their understanding of ecotherapy at their own pace. This flexible online course provides accessibility regardless of location or scheduling constraints. In addition, the partners carried out a joint staff training involving 16 professionals from VET institutions, trainers, counsellors and therapists. Through interactive workshops, participants deepened their understanding of ecotherapy principles, enhanced their ability to integrate them into their roles and promoted collaboration for effective dissemination.