Outreach
Meeting people who use drugs where they are, on their terms
4,000+ engagements
Built on trust, not agendas
Outreach enables peers to meet people who use drugs “where they are at”, build relationships, and create spaces for people to identify the issues affecting their lives and have their voices represented.
It allows peer workers to know what is happening on the streets and to be responsive, identifying drug trends and informing early warning interventions. The structured approach, informed by the principles and values of UISCE, means peers are involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of outreach and everything that follows from it.
In 2024 this peer-led model was proven effective, with peers directly conducting 188 outreach sessions and over 4,000 engagements. The peer-led and independent approach allows for higher and more meaningful levels of engagement.
We do outreach to find out information on lots of different topics. We value what people have to say regardless of what they say. As peers, we come from that life. We know the people. They would approach us and trust us quicker. You could’ve grown up the same as that person. We are always looking for ways to make change.
Niall, Peer Support Worker
What peer-led outreach delivers
Meeting people where they are
Peers build real relationships on the street and in services, not from behind a desk. Coming from the same life means trust is established far more quickly.
Early warning intelligence
High levels of engagement and trust let UISCE feed real-time, on-the-ground updates on changing drug trends into the national Early Warning Emerging Trends group.
Voices represented
Outreach identifies gaps in service provision and gives people a route to influence the services meant for them, working with the relevant stakeholders.
A proven peer-led model
Responding to a volatile drug market
The UISCE outreach team has been on the frontline in identifying drug trends and in developing and implementing effective overdose responses, in the face of an extremely volatile drug market that has exposed people to significant risk.
That engagement produced updates on the possible introduction of synthetic opioids to the drug supply in early 2023. In November of that year the HSE issued the first of its red alerts on the detection of nitazenes, which can be up to 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin.
The outreach team also played a key role in supporting the new medically supervised injecting facility at Merchants Quay Ireland, which opened in 2024.
We respond to what people need in the moment no matter what. Our groups come from these issues that are brought to us, rather than setting out with an agenda.
Suzanne, Peer Volunteer
Explore our other activities
View all activitiesNeed someone on your side?
Our peer advocates are here to help you get heard. Free, confidential, and led by people with living experience.