 about us
ADANZ is a not-for-profit community organisation based in Christchurch, New Zealand. ADANZ’s Statement of Purpose - Providing Information, Challenging Thinking and Stimulating Action on Alcohol and Drug Issues.
ADANZ Role - Advocacy – identifying issues and actions to raise awareness or influence decision making at a policy level through submissions and direct lobbying. All related to limiting the harm associated with alcohol and other drugs in our community.
- Bringing people together to help services work together.
- Providing excellence in information on alcohol and other drugs and brief interventions to the people of New Zealand.
ADANZ Values - Quality and excellence
- Professionalism
- Innovation
- Bi-culturalism
- Diversity
- Respect
Alcohol and drug issues concern us all … Our past 20 years of involvement in the community (ADANZ was incorporated in 1982) has ensured that the organisation is in touch with the areas it works in, is well respected and innovative in keeping the issues strongly to the forefront of the community’s attention. We aim to fulfil our purpose by Providing Information… Accurate Information about alcohol, other drugs and gambling allows people to make informed choices about their own or someone else’s substance use or problematic behaviours. We provide a range of information in a variety of forums and mediums. We also provide an informed position in our advocacy role by identifying issues and actions to raise awareness or influence decision making at a policy level through submissions and direct lobbying. We do this locally and nationally. ADANZ sees there is a need to address the stigma that accompanies addictive behaviours and recreational alcohol, drug and gambling. To this end, ADANZ advocates for evidence based information to inform public debate, media, policy, addiction service development and delivery. Challenge thinking … Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) play a central role in our community. For every person who is affected by substances it is likely that another ten people in the community also suffer the consequences of alcohol or other drug misuse. When we try to understand these effects, it’s often hard to know what information we can trust. ADANZ challenges thinking on these issues. As a coordination/advocacy organisation we provide an independent source of information. Through our networking and liaison with the alcohol and drug field, mental health and allied professionals we keep up to date with what is happening nationally and within the many service providers in the Canterbury and other South Island regions. We encourage research in the many areas where there are no clear answers. As an organisation that has oversight of the ‘big picture’ we provide the information, and support for individuals and communities to form their own opinions on issues. Stimulate action … We are working towards a world where everyone is aware of the consequences of their actions and is taking responsibility for them. We see the start of this in the change in drink driving behaviour that is taking effect. A healthier community would be one where it was possible for people to acknowledge a problem with alcohol or other drugs, and receive help in a non-judgemental way. It would be a place where information was freely sought and readily available, where people could reach agreement on what constituted safe use of substances at an individual and a community level. To create this sort of healthy community will take changes in people’s attitudes and their behaviour. The issues as they relate to alcohol and other drugs in our community need to be kept at the forefront - for individuals and for policy makers. ADANZ is part of this action. A healthy community is something which you can help make happen - accurate information, informed by evidence-based research, is an important part of reducing alcohol and drug related harm in our communities. ADANZ can assist you in making a difference. |
