In 2019/20 ATODA partnered with the Australian National University (ANU), the University of Canberra (UC) and the Australian Catholic University (ACU) – ACT Diocese to establish a University Drug and Alcohol Network (UDAN). The UDAN aims to support the creation of ACT university campus environments that promote responsible drinking and safer drug consumption policies and practices amongst students, staff and visitors.
ATODA provided secretariat support to the UDAN Working Group which included Senior Staff in charge of Student Wellbeing at the three universities. Throughout the year ATODA delivered three AOD workshops to over 200 Student Leaders at ANU and UC which focused on prevention, harm reduction and help seeking.
ATODA also provided AOD and ASSIST screening and brief intervention training to 15 medical and counselling staff at UC to inform improved responses to AOD from health staff employed by the university. All workshops for students and staff were well received and resulted in increased knowledge and awareness of AOD related harms and skills to address risky drinking and harmful drug use amongst university students.
The UDAN partners valued establishing relationships with other ACT universities and ATODA and being able to access evidence-based research and policies to better respond to AOD use on campus.