South Eastern Regional College and PCSP join forces for Drug Awareness Project

South Eastern Regional College’s (SERC) Students’ Union, in partnership with ASCERT, has been awarded funding to the tune of £5,000 from the Lisburn and Castlereagh Policing and Community Safety Partnerships’ (PCSP) Project Support Programme.

The Students’ Union will use this funding to deliver a series of skills-based workshops for students, empowering them to make informed and better choices in relation to drugs and alcohol.

ASCERT will lead the delivery of these workshops with their team of expert staff and trainers who work to reduce alcohol and drug related issues in Northern Ireland.  A total of thirty (30) sessions will be delivered to student groups throughout the academic year at the College’s Lisburn Campus.

Catherine Shipman, Student Engagement Manager said, “We are thrilled to have received this funding. This new project with ASCERT has only been made possible with the funding from the PCSP in Lisburn and Castlereagh.

She continued, “The delivery of this project means that our students will benefit from training that will allow them to explore issues around drugs, alcohol and anti-social behaviour in a safe environment, encourage healthy behaviours and signpost our at risk young people to support services”

Councillor Andrew Ewing, Chairman of Lisburn & Castlereagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) said, “The PCSP is pleased to provide funding to ASCERT, under the Project Support Programme, to enable the delivery of a project to SERC students to address the effects of drugs and alcohol as a contributing factor to anti-social behaviour and crime.

He continued, “This project will address the issues of drugs and alcohol, challenge negative attitudes, increase the understanding of the risks of misuse but in particular that of poly drug use. I am encouraged by such projects and the PCSP are particularly interested in the outcomes of this project.”