Starting an Anti-Drug Community Coalition

Q: How do I go about starting an anti-drug coalition in my community?

A: Starting and maintaining a coalition is certainly not an easy task. It requires, among many things, perseverance, patience, and commitment. CADCA has identified seven steps to follow in the initial stages of coalition development to make the collaboration process less of a challenge:

Step One:  First, define the problem and identify its impact on the community. Have there been recent events that have heightened awareness of the substance abuse problem in your environment? Who are directly and indirectly affected by substance abuse?

Step Two:  Identify key stakeholders in the community that can help your coalition accomplish your goals.

Step Three:  Schedule your first meeting at a location that is recognizable and at a time that is convenient for most to attend.

Step Four:  Share perspectives. Communities are a rich blend of individuals with a wide variety of experiences and lifestyles. Allow people to share their perspectives on how substance abuse has affected their lives and what they would like to see accomplished with the coalition.

Step Five:  Discuss the current reality as well as the ideal. What does substance abuse really look like in your community and how would you like to see things changed?

Step Six:  Create a vision for your community. Your vision statement should always be positive, inspirational, and easily agreed upon by the majority of the community.

Step Seven:  Determine the next steps. You are on your way! To sustain the momentum, make sure the purpose of the coalition is clean, clear roles within the coalition have been identified and delineated, and that key stakeholders are identified to be included in the next meeting.

Individuals or groups of concerned citizens who want to make a difference in their community regarding the incidence of substance abuse can e-mail CADCA at training@cadca.org to obtain information and technical assistance. Strategizer 29 “Coalition Building 101: Getting Started, a CADCA publication that assists coalitions in the beginning stages of coalition development, at www.cadca.org/shopcart.