The Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy (WGDS) received a 2024 Community Grant to launch a free public education project focused on substance use and overdose response. This education project was designed to help address the drug crisis by helping people in Guelph learn how to take action in emergencies and to care for one another with compassion. This work directly addressed an issue that is both timely and prevalent in our community right now, and did so in a free and accessible way with a thoughtful and collaborative multi-focused approach.
The project had three main goals: raise awareness about overdose prevention, reduce stigma around substance use, and center the voices of people with lived experience. With help from partners like Sanguen Health Centre and the WGDS Peer Advisory Committee, WGDS held five free, drop-in training sessions at Art Not Shame, a downtown nonprofit that offers art programs for the community. These sessions were easy to access (no sign-up needed) and focused on how to use naloxone, current drug trends, reducing judgment, and showing care for people who use substances.
WGDS also gave two special training sessions for new Guelph Paramedics. These sessions were co-created with input from peers who have lived experience with substance use. They were paid for their time and knowledge, recognizing how important their voices are in responding to the drug crisis.
The response from the attendees have been very positive. One attendee shared their thoughts after a information session and said, “It was so helpful and informative, but also super accessible! I’ll definitely be sharing this training with my friends, colleagues, and network.” WGDS plans to continue this work throughout 2025, helping protect public health, reduce harm, and build a more informed community.