History
Podane
Ruce UK builds on the experience of its sister organisation, Sdruzeni
Podane Ruce, today the second largest non-government organisation in the
Czech Republic working towards minimising the damage caused by drugs and
alcohol abuse. Podane Ruce began
in 1984 as a secret, spontaneous and informal organisation that tried to
help those with a drug or alcohol problem. In the year 1991, after the collapse
of communism, it was finally registered in Brno as Sdruzeni Podane
Ruce.
By
the year 1996 it had 30 employees and some 13 projects covering harm
reduction, prevention and rehabilitation programmes. A key milestone happened with the
opening in 1997 of the Institute of Expert Services (I.E.S.) which began
to develop the organisation’s activities abroad. By the year 2006 there were over 100
employees with 45 projects that come in contact with over 8,000 drug
users per year, and major European projects began involving Italy, the
UK and Hungary.
With
the incumbent expansion of the European Union, it became evident to the
Board of Directors that an office in London was needed. Podane Ruce UK
was born in 2003 with the mission of preventing the spread of
methamphetamine into the UK and preparing UK drug agencies and professionals
for a growth of drug users from CEECs (Central and Eastern European
Countries).
Podane
Ruce UK has taken part in an important development project in
Afghanistan, funded by the European Commission and involving 4 countries
and 5 partner organisations. We
have also already prepared and run several training seminars and
workshops for DATs and professionals on methamphetamines, and we are
currently in contact with several service providers in order to address
the growth of drug users form the A8 countries.
The Board of Trustees Other
information