National Licensing Conference
8th - 9th September 2010
MacDonald Aviemore Highland Resort

Following last years biggest ever Licensing Conference, we will be returning to the MacDonald Aviemore Highland Resort for this year's event.

Put the date in your diary as its going to be a must attend event again this year. 92% of last year's delegates rated the event as relevent to their profession.

Click here to download the booking form.

Click here to download the current 2 day programme

***Date for your diary***

Thursday 11th November
Glasgow City Chambers
1.15pm - Lunch, 2pm Start

Agenda and speakers to be announced shortly

Wednesday 13 October 2010
ORT House Conference Centre, London NW1
From £175 + VAT

Delegate rates include a FREE copy of Crossing Frontiers, International Developments in the Treatment of Drug Dependence edited by Alex Stevens

This conference addresses where drug and alcohol treatment goes from here. In light of some major changes in the political landscape and a potential shake-up in how drug and alcohol treatment is managed, this conference provides an opportunity to discuss these changes and get some perspective. We aim to make recommendations for presentation to service providers, opinion formers, decision-makers and policymakers regarding the future shape of treatment and its future direction of travel. The conference will bring together professionals from across a broad spectrum of the voluntary and independent treatment sector, from the public sector and from government and relevant government agencies.

Aims of the conference

• Learn more about how the new government will tackle drug and alcohol treatment
• Produce that winning tender and navigate the latest commissioning guidelines
• Where now for the recovery agenda?
• How to achieve eATA accreditation
• How to build relationships with your local politicians and media
• Combating stigma - how can this be achieved

For more information and booking details please click here

Alcohol Focus Scotland in partnership with The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives are offering free training and support for managers on dealing with alcohol and drugs issues in the workplace.

Every year around 640,000 sick days are taken because of hangovers and the time off taken by people with alcohol dependency adds a further 1.2 million days of lost productivity.

The training sessions enable employers and managers to create a greater awareness around alcohol and drugs in their workplace. They offer advice on the impact of alcohol and drugs on their workforce and help in implementing appropriate policies to deal with any problems. Managers can also find out more about how to recognise the signs of alcohol misuse in employees and how to offer appropriate support.

In addition to the training sessions organisations can also sign up for free alcohol awareness interactive stands which can be set up in any workplace offering a range of leaflets, resources and activities to provide employees with the facts about sensible drinking.

These events have proved very popular and have been held in Fife Fire and Rescue Headquarters, Shotts Prison, Edinburgh University, hospitals and others workplaces either as part of health days or stand alone events. Interactive activities such as pouring measures of common drinks and trying out "beer goggles" have allowed employees to think about their own drinking behaviour.

Booking a stand is completely free. A Stand can be put up anywhere in the workplace, from the staff cafeteria to the foyer.

Phone David at The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives on 01224 558 528 to book your organisation today.

Scottish Network for Families Affected by Drugs
Annual Conference and AGM
10am-5.30pm
Saturday 11th September 2010
Stirling Management Centre, University of Stirling Campas FK9 4LA

This is a free, one day conference open to family members and family support groups as well as professionals and practitioners who work with families affected by drugs. The conference will include a contribution from Fergus Ewing MSP and Dr David Best,Chair of the Scottish Drugs Recovery Consortium.
Delegates will have the opportunity to network and meet othe individuals and support groups from across Scotland. The conference will also include a variety of practical workshops and stories from family members. The conference will be followed by the Scottish Network for Families Affected by Drugs' AGM.

Click here for the booking form

The University of Glasgow will be delivering two Postgraduate programmes in 2010, specifically designed for professionals working within the substance misuse field. These include:

Postgraduate Certificate in Addictions (click here for details and an application pack)

Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership of Drug and Alcohol Services click here for details and an application pack)

Both Postgraduate programmes will commence in September 2010 and will be taught at the University of Glasgow on a part-time basis over one academic year.

The tuition fee for the Postgraduate programmes in 2010-11 will be £1416, but there will be fully funded places available for specific areas of the Scottish workforce. Please see the application packs for details of our funding criteria.

If you are interested in applying for either programme, please visit www.projectSTRADA.org to download an application pack.

The 4th International Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
March 2 - March 5 2011
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Our understanding of FASD is entering a period of rapid expansion and change, dramatically increasing our comprehension of the breadth and depth of the global impact of this lifelong disability. This 4th International conference will provide an advanced forum for emerging and cutting edge research, policy and practice that will assist governments, service systems, service providers, parents and caregivers, as we strive to address the complex issues of FASD. This new knowledge will be an impetus for critical action in supporting women, individuals, families, and communities around the world.

The conference goal is to highlight international research and promising practice. Participants can expect to:
- Learn about the implications and practical application of leading research around the world
- Establish and nurture linkages among international researchers, networks, government, communities,
service providers and families
- Foster clinical and community based research
- Learn from the lived experience of others

To book or to submit an abstract, please click here

Alcohol Awareness Week 2009 took place from 4-10 October.

www.alcoholawarenessweek.com

It's easy to make a positive choice about drinking. There are small changes that can help you enjoy a drink without risking your health. The aim of the campaign is to drive awareness amongst Scots - and demonstrate - that by making positive lifestyle choices, changing drinking habits and drinking more responsibly will enable you to get more out of your day, week or weekend.

This year AAW was all about 'Get More Out Of'. The campaign aimed to show that by making a few simple changes to your drinking habits, you can manage the amount of alcohol you consume and make sure you get more out of your time, relationships, work and activities.

Alcohol Focus Scotland ran an information stand in Braehead shopping centre during the week to encourage shoppers to find out more about drinking responsibly.