Harm Reduction Academy
Harm Reduction Academy
Harm Reduction Academy is a global learning, dialogue and skills building course established with the vision to end AIDS and Hepatitis C among people who inject drugs.
Inspired by the successes in response to HIV epidemic in some of the most challenging settings, contrasted by the emergence of injecting use-driven epidemic in new settings, the course combines decades of practical experience and most recent developments in effective and impactful responses.
We have formed a partnership of leading program developers and lecturers, individuals from inside the drug using community, clinical experts to conduct a practical learning course on harm reduction – Harm Reduction Academy – in diverse drug using contexts and response modalities.
Over the course of six months, three exciting weeks will be dedicated to lecture hours, combined with practical field visits in three countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. Course participants will learn:
how to evaluate the needs of a given drug using community and how to effectively develop response programs
which interventions and their combinations have the highest capacity of epidemic impact in the given context;
how to allocate the scarce resources most effectively with maximum health and social outcome;
how to reach to drug users and motivate behavior change and link them to key medical services insuring adherence.
Harm Reduction Academy will bring together individuals with a mix of international backgrounds ensuring professional and cultural diversity in the classroom and the field. We hope that the participation in the Academy itself will lead to establishment of effective networks and joint global harm reduction initiatives by the alumni
Participants of the 6th Cicle of the Harm Reduction Academy share their impressions of learning and explain what kind of experience and knowledge they will take from Ukraine and apply to respond to the HIV-epidemic in their countries.
Feedback from our students
More videos:
“The Academy is a great new capacity building resource
for the global harm reduction community. The wide ranging syllabus, trainers, delegates, and course locations combine to offer huge benefit to practitioners, managers, funders and also for suppliers of harm reduction equipment”
Andrew Preston, ExchangeSupplies.org, UK
“I enjoyed the most innovative, initiative-driven intervention approach, for example, peer-driven intervention, self-testing, community initiated ART interventions. When we return to our countries we will replicate all these new innovative approaches” .
Dr Samaruddin Samar zazai, National AIDS Control Program,
Ministry of Public Health, Afganistan
“My coming to Ukraine to Harm Reduction Academy has opened my eyes, because in Tanzania the harm reduction programmes are very limited. When I go back to Tanzania, I will approach the authorities responsible for different harm reduction projects to initiate discussion aimed to establish the harm reduction programmes based on the references I have seen in Ukraine. I am very impressed with harm reduction work in Ukraine”.
Rustika Tembele, Open Society Initiatives for Eastern Africa, Tanzania
HARM REDUCTION ACADEMY IS PLEASED TO PRESENT THE VIDEO OF CYCLE 1
Invited Lecturers
“Harm reduction is not the only effective way to deal with drug addiction but it is the only way to deliver HIV and HCV treatment to those who use drugs”.
Pavlo Smyrnov, Deputy Executive Director: Program, Alliance for Public Health.
“To me Harm Reduction means saving lives and letting people live their lives with dignity”.
Adeeba Kamarulzaman, MBBS, FRACP, FAMM, FASc, Professor of Infectious Diseases Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia
“The Harm Reduction Academy brings together and builds the capacity of up and coming leaders from across the globe and from across the wide range of sectors involved in drugs and harm reduction. It’s an enriching experience”.
Mat Southwell, Partner, consultant CoAct
HRA alumni
We are proud of Harm Reduction Academy alumni from around the world who form a strong harm reduction activist and support network. You can contact relevant person to ask questions about their experience and support to harm reduction Lesya Tonkonog.
Click here to view HRA participants
HRA Brochure
Apply to become a participant!
Join our Harm Reduction Academy if your goal is to end AIDS and Hepatitis C in people who use drugs. After completing our course you will find smart and effective responses not in the classroom or the field, Ukraine, Kenya or Malaysia – but in your own head.
