What is Family Support?

The model of family support that Apod advocates is peer family support. This is where a number of people with a common problem, in our case, living with someone affected by substance use, come together to share their experiences.

The benefits of Family Support

• It interrupts the negative dynamic of substance use within the family
• It helps family members look after their own needs
• It helps families influence the person using drugs to make constructive choices
• It helps families to work with other service agencies
• It enables families to be a resource to their own communities

Penington Institute connects lived experience and research to improve community safety in relation to drugs.
It is too easy to judge people who use drugs.

Legal or illegal, the misuse of any psychoactive substance impacts us all.

At Penington Institute, we think it’s far more productive to prevent and tackle drug use in a safe, effective and practical way.

Risky behaviours are part of being human.

Our focus is on making individuals and families safer and healthier, helping communities, frontline services and governments reduce harm, respect human rights and improve the rule of law.

Founded by needle exchange workers and people with lived experience of drug use in 1995 as a peak body, The Association of Needle Exchanges (ANEX) grew into Penington Institute, named in honour of Emeritus Professor David Penington AC, who led Australia’s early and world-leading approach to HIV/AIDS.

Like Professor Penington, who remains our Patron to this day, we confront the most important issues and champion innovative evidence-based action to improve people’s lives – no matter how challenging our perspective might appear.

A not-for-profit organisation, Penington Institute’s research and analysis provides the evidence needed to help us all rethink drug use and create change for the better.

We focus on promoting effective strategies, frontline workforce education and public awareness activities. Our work has a positive impact on people, health and law enforcement systems, the economy and society.

An independent voice of reason on drug policy, we are a straight-talking ally for practical insights, information and evidence-based action for people in need.

Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic) is a community based, not for profit organisation.

In 1987, in the face of a growing HIV epidemic, a group of drug users, their friends, families and supporters established HRVic as an independent, user-driven community based organisation

Funded primarily by the VIC Department of Human Services, HRVic provides education, practical support, information and advocacy to current and past users of illicit drugs, their friends, and allies. HRVic has often led the way in developing innovative approaches to peer education and community development, and has contributed to Australia having one of the lowest HIV rates among injecting drug users in the world.

Who is VAADA?

The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association Inc. (VAADA) is a peak organisation, which aims to reduce the harms associated with alcohol and other drug use within the Victorian community.

VAADA’s membership comprises agencies working in the AOD field, as well as those individuals who are involved in, or have a specific interest in, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation or research that minimises the harms caused by alcohol and other drugs (AOD).

What does VAADA do?

As a peak organisation, VAADA’s purpose is to ensure that the issues for people experiencing the harms associated with alcohol and other drug use and the organisations that support them are well represented in policy and program development and public discussion

VAADA seeks to achieve this through:

• Engaging in policy development;
• Advocating for systemic change;
• Representing issues our member’s identify;
• Providing leadership on priority issues to pursue;
• Creating a space for collaboration within the AOD sector;
• Keeping our members and stakeholders informed about issues relevant to the sector; and
• Supporting evidence-based practice that maintains the dignity of those who use alcohol and other drug services (and related services).

View VAADA E-News