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Today (Nov. 16,2021) I learnt how psychoactive substances affect the brain and other functions of the body. I learnt about Neurotransmitters and that Marijuana allows for excess dopamine release which is what causes the prolonged high. I also also learnt about the different sections of the brain the prefrontal cortex and that this section is responsible for executive functioning

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Nov 16. For this lesson, I learnt about psychoactive substances. I learnt definitions such as (pharmacology, drug) and what makes a substance a medication. Also information on the brain such as the frontal lobe, motor cortex, sensory cortex, occipital vision etc. I learnt about other countries and the substances affecting the population and similarities of situation contribution to substances use in their country.

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Nov 16. For this lesson, I learnt about psychoactive substances. I learnt definitions such as (pharmacology, drug) and what makes a substance a medication. Also information on the brain such as the frontal lobe, motor cortex, sensory cortex, occipital vision etc. I learnt about other countries and the substances affecting the population and similarities of situation contribution to substances use in their country.

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Today November 16, 2021 I learnt about psychoactive substances and their effects on the brain.  I was placed in a group which had to highlight the effects of cocaine on ones mood etc. My most rewarding activity of the day was the activity brought forward from the first session. I found it to be very informative and it gave me a clear indication of happenings in other countries. It brought home the fact that we are more alike than we are different and so we share similar experiences and hence best practices which will be highlighted in this course will be beneficial to all participants.

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Today November 16, 2021 I learnt about psychoactive substances and their effects on the brain.  I was placed in a group which had to highlight the effects of cocaine on ones mood etc. My most rewarding activity of the day was the activity brought forward from the first session. I found it to be very informative and it gave me a clear indication of happenings in other countries. It brought home the fact that we are more alike than we are different and so we share similar experiences and hence best practices which will be highlighted in this course will be beneficial to all participants.

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Today's session was insightful as it was clear that we are more similar than different regarding our national drug situations. Among the things that stood out was the simplified manner in which the brain was presented (very useful), the application of the content in small group discussions and the strength-based approach to learning that seems to underpin this course. I appreciate the fact that all perspectives are welcome and discussed. Also appreciate the opportunity to work in different groups with people who were before this course, only familiar names. Looking forward to upcoming sessions and further interaction.

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Today (November 16, 2021) I learnt the intricacies involved in the use of cannabis and the brain.  I learnt about the blood-brain barrier and that the fat-soluble molecule property of drugs is what enables them to easily pass through the cells and tissue of the brain, while large water-soluble molecules are blocked. I also learnt about the specific ways in which heroin affects mood, thinking and judgment, sensory perception and behaviour.

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Information shared from the assignment re effects of psychoactive substances and specific drugs was useful especially with the assignment given today re the consequences. The pop quiz was helpful as I reminder, as it is important to note that the reward circuit is over stimulated by the use of psychoactive substances. Also enjoyed the group discussion, as ideas were following from each participants and we all were respectful of each others ideas/information.

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November 16, 2021: Physiology and Pharmacology for Prevention Professionals 

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November 16, 2021: Physiology and Pharmacology for Prevention Professionals 

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The most interesting thing about today's session for me was learning about the blood-brain barrier and that the water soluble molecules are blocked but the fat-soluble molecule property of drugs enables them to easily pass through the tissues and cells of the brain.
I appreciate the small group discussions as this allows for greater interaction and getting to know our colleagues across the Caribbean. Today's session also highlighted for me how similar we are in terms of the issues faced in our respective countries.

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Today's session was impactful, discussion re routes of administration and was reminded that smoking is the fastest route while eating takes a longer time span. The discussion re the progression of use and the four stages (experimentation, regular use, risky use and addiction/dependency. I enjoyed the kahoot game as it was engaging, allowed some thinking.

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The images of the brain were very useful to help me to understand the significant impact of different substances on thinking, feeling, movement, pain and coordination/balance. While I was aware of the impact of genetics on risk of addiction, I didn't know it accounted for 40-60% of a person's vulnerability. The last exercise emphasized the fact that there are several overlapping consequences of psychoactive substance use in relation to medical, legal, social, economic, youth etc. The impact is far-reaching not only on a micro but also macro level.

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Today I was reminded about the levels of vulnerability for different categories of the population in terms of substance use. The extent of the overlap of the consequences of psychoactive substance use is mind-blowing. Having had the opportunity to dissect the medical, legal, social, economic effects of substance use I am reminded that there is urgent need for intense collaboration national, regional and international levels. The effects are far-reaching, especially on vulnerable groups such as youth and women.

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Today's session underscored the various consequences such as medical, legal, social and economic consequences that psychoactive substances have on vulnerable populations such as our youth and women. It also highlighted for me that so much more  needs to be done in prevention for these vulnerable groups. Having worked with the group that examined the legal consequences, one major take-a-way from that session for me was that these consequences tend to overlap as various areas of a person's life is affected when they use psychoactive substances.
I also appreciated the visual images of how psychoactive substances affect the various functions of the brain.

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Though most of the topics discussed today are familiar material, it was good to review details of the classification of substances, the routes of their administration the specific duration they take to impact the brain - that part was new learning for me. The review of the Etiology Model (Group 5) emphasized the importance of looking at substance use in a comprehensive manner that incorporates nature/nurture, micro/macro and life stage factors as well as the critical opportunities for prevention throughout all those interactions between the individual and his/her environment. I am also thoroughly enjoying the depth of the discussions with colleagues and the mutual learning that is taking place. Grateful to be a participant in this course.

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(Nov. 17, 2021) I Learnt of the of the various consequences of substance use, namely how drug use can manifest in legal, economical, social and also the myraid of medical problems that can arise from drug use. it was interesting to see the interlapping of the consequences of substance use, the social intertwined with legal, economical and medical whether it ranged from stigma which leads to isolation to suicidal ideations to homeless to just give an example

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the review of the Environments for prevention was extremely interesting to see that prevention cannot be done in isolation that to effectively draft a prevention plan one has to take into account the micro and macro levels of environment while clearly identifying the target and having a keen understanding of that target population and how the interrelate to each levels of the environment and how the environment impacts the target group.

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Today's session was very useful for me. Given that I am responsible for the National Drug Observatory in Jamaica, I am integrally involved in conducting the national surveys and surveillance systems that are used by the Drug Council and our partners to develop evidence-based interventions and policies. So prevalence, incidence, risk-perception, age of onset, risk an protective factors etc. are routinely collected through our national surveys among the general population, secondary school populations among others. What stood out for me was the diagram indicating the point at which personal characteristics, environmental and pharmacological factors play more important roles in determining the course of drug use - and suitable points for different prevention interventions. This was very useful. The crossword puzzle and review of the article were practical methodologies for us to further understand epidemiology.

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The discussion today on the routes of administration and the progression of use was a refresher for me. The Kahoot game was a very insightful and useful tool that allowed us to be able to apply our knowledge critically.
It was interesting also to explore the micro and macro levels of prevention and brought home the fact that prevention cannot be effective without having the right approach.

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Today I learnt about etiology in detail. In particular I learnt about the factors and determinants that influence attitude towards substance use. A number of biopsychosocial concepts and principles came out as I read the manual. The deep level of interaction between the micro and macro environments is important to be understood in any prevention intervention.

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Today's session was a strong reminder about the importance of evidenced-based prevention intervention strategies and policies.  The value of using scientific rigor and research in determining best practices cannot be overemphasized. I was also reminded about the interplay between the micro and macro level environments and how these influence various target groups, particularly youth. Very important concepts learnt today were the critical themes in prevention, including environments of prevention, the science of prevention and the various competencies and skills that a prevention professional is expected to have.

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Today's session included a lot of discussion/brain storming. Information on the padlet re what each group discussion gave an understanding of what the topics were about, however i hoping to acquire more information as time goes by. Our discussion re prevention ethics was a important point to note as all professional groups have their own code of ethics. Finally i find the group discussions helpful, as it shows contribution of each persons opinion.

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The method of review of the 11 critical themes was an excellent approach to expose us to the main content in each theme. It also emphasized how interlinked they all are and why drug prevention is not just "feel good work" but that it is underpinned by scientific rigor. I intend to read up more on the Etiology model t be able to comfortably understand and explain how the various components are connected. The last exercise for micro and macro positive and negative influences on children confirmed that most of our contexts and similar not only regionally but also internationally in terms of the way that children are either protected or exposed to substance use/favourable attitudes towards drug use. Looking forward to next week's learning.

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Today I learnt about epidemiology and the strategies or methodologies of data collection.  I have gained incredible insight about epidemiological studies and how to read the charts and graphs associated with data collected for epidemiological purposes. I have also learnt about the three categories of influences (personal, environmental and pharmacological) on substance use and abuse.  I really enjoyed this lesson and the activities we completed.  It has reminded me about my love for research.  Can’t wait to use my knowledge to implement targeted interventions guided by sound epidemiological data.

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Today November 21 we had a very interactive session. The paired group activity was extremely good. i learnt that epidemiology is the study of the distribution of determinants of health related states. i also learnt the difference between incidence and prevalence. Incidence has to do with new cases of health related conditions while prevalence deals with existing cases. i believe the sessions are going well.

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Today November 21 we had a very interactive session. The paired group activity was extremely good. i learnt that epidemiology is the study of the distribution of determinants of health related states. i also learnt the difference between incidence and prevalence. Incidence has to do with new cases of health related conditions while prevalence deals with existing cases. i believe the sessions are going well.

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I learnt of the three major components of prevention science namely Epidemiology, intervention and research. what stood out mostly to me was the use of surveillance to determine the focus of intervention, also the introduction of how to reach research charts to understand what the data findings are saying.

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Today's session was short and impactful. As we looked at module 4, major components of prevention science re epidemiology and etiology. I learnt about incidence( new cases of health related condition) and prevalence (existing cases of the health -related condition). Other methods include surveillance (who) and descriptive(why) and analytical studies. I also found the cross-word puzzle fun, even thou my group, we were unable to finish but it allowed additional reading and allowed us to be focus.

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Today's session highlighted several aspects of Intervention Development that are important to prevention science. I was assigned to the Theoretical Framework group (1) and based on the experience/exercise it was clear that reading ahead of class is important to have adequate understanding because we will not be able to go through all contents of each module during the 90 minutes of class. So there was much more to our topic than we expected/understood. Hearing the other group presentations was useful to understand the other key components of intervention development. The take home from today's session is to be more prepared, read more widely using the participant manual so that the deeper understanding can be applied to class discussions and exercises versus relying on what we already know about prevention in our contexts.

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Today's lesson was particularly interesting for me because the concepts about programme design and delivery were seamlessly connected with the principles of epidemiology and etiology.  I have learnt a lot about what goes into building a programme after the theoretical constructs have been determined.  The distinction between a method and a strategy was clearly established based on the exercise that we participated in as a small group. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the three components of prevention science and how they relate to each other.

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Today November 23,2021 we looked at the major components of prevention science. It was a very interactive meaningful session. our major focus was on intervention development which is one component of prevention science. The other components are epidemiology and etiology and research methodology. It is my belief that prevention science is of utmost importance to practitioners as it puts everything into perspective by providing the framework for effective prevention work.

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Today November 23,2021 we looked at the major components of prevention science. It was a very interactive meaningful session. our major focus was on intervention development which is one component of prevention science. The other components are epidemiology and etiology and research methodology. It is my belief that prevention science is of utmost importance to practitioners as it puts everything into perspective by providing the framework for effective prevention work.

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Today's lesson was a continuation of module 4, we discussed prevention intervention and policy development. Video shown at the beginning of the session was useful and sharing information about universal, selective and indicated was easy as its information that I am familiar with. Group discussion had our group do a lot of research in order to understand the information. Overall, all the groups did a great job presenting the information

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Why Prevention Science is Important to Practitioners

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Why Prevention Science is Important to Practitioners

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As discussed in the session, prevention science offers evidence, rigour and standards to the profession that takes us away from "feel good work" or "magical thinking" to proven and effective strategies and methods to guide this work. If we approach prevention from a position of what "we think is best" versus what has been proven, tested, replicated, adapted strategies/methods then we may be causing more harm than good among intervention target groups. So the science is vital to achieving desired outcomes.

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Today we examined the 11 critical themes of prevention and this was enlightening for me as it gave me a new perspective on prevention and how we do our work. It also bought to the fore that in order for prevention to be effective it has to be evidenced based. Examining micro and macro levels also highlighted for me that across the region we face similar challenges.

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Today i learnt new terms, Epidemiology and Etiology which are methods of research for prevention. I also learnt that Epidemiology and Etiology, Intervention Development and research methodology are the 3 components of prevention science. I particularly enjoyed the discussion and working with another individual to complete the crossword puzzle.

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Today I enjoyed connecting all the factors at interplay in child development. It was very important to understand how the various stages of a person's development are influenced by the family, school, peers and community. I recognize the need to personally become more intimate with the learning and development theories so that I can be better informed when considering a prevention intervention for specific populations. The volume of information that prevention experts are expected to or should know is incredible and is a clear indicator of the value of continued learning and investment in education. I feel more and more competent as a result of the content I am exposed to in this course. I am excited to continue learning and eventually apply said knowledge.

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Today's session explored the different stages of development for children into adolescents and the group discussion was a great way of exploring the risk and protective factors that affect each stage and how knowing the difference with what happens at each stage helps to determine the types of prevention intervention that is necessary for each stage.

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Very happy that we have reached the half-way milestone today! The activity was useful to understand the various childhood/adolescent developmental milestones, risk and protective factors that can impact them and the micro and macro influences that exist. The approach resulted in practical application of what exists in the various country contexts. I look forward to advancing to the types of prevention interventions that are appropriate for each stage. That we are receiving good grounding in the developmental and behavioural theories is important to improving their application to prevention programmes in our contexts. This is a step that may not be given sufficient attention in programme/intervention development.

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This session(November 23,2021) highlighted for me the importance of looking at ensuring the keen attention is placed on objectives for intervention programs, to increase knowledge of substance use and improve attitudes as it relates risk of substance use. I learnt the important characteristics of the target population which includes the age, gender, race/ethnicity etc. the session also reinforced the classifications of prevention programs namely Universal, Selective and Indicated. The session emphasized that a vital part of prevention planning is the delivery component of the planned program.

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November 24,2021
Module 5 was introduced in the session where we looked understanding how human beings develop and the importance of knowing the milestones at each developmental level. discussion highlighted the impact of various theories Human development where the importance was stated that it is important so as to be able to identify normal versus dysfunctional development

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Today's lesson went by quickly, in the lesson today it we saw the importance of developmental stages. I was able to relate the social learning theory with the developmental stage and how each stage plays an important role as we able to understand behaviors. For group discussion i was placed in group 7 which we had the chance to look at peers and the negative and positive factors surrounding them. During the discussion we noted that positives can be negatives too. Overall impactful session and looking forward to learning more.

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Understanding both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is pivotal in prevention intervention because some populations struggle with both.  The connection between the social learning theory and building intrinsic motivation is one I did not consider before today's session.  I understand more clearly how this theory concretizes all aspects of motivation.  Today's session challenged me to think in a much more in-depth manner about the role that motivation plays in prevention intervention.  This knowledge nugget is a powerful one which has changed my outlook in both my professional and personal life. I am very happy for this discovery.  Observation, modelling and production of the behaviour is important in prevention science which means that the opposite should be infused.  The second very important concepts I learnt today was the theory of planned behaviour.  Understanding the affective and instrumental attitudes and how these relate to injunctive norms and the attendant effect on the behaviour was very useful in dissecting intentions and how it can be used in prevention programmes.

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Today November 25,2021 was another great day of learning. we started off by looking at what is motivation and then did a group activity highlighting intrinsic and extrinsic forms of motivation. we learnt about Bandura's theory of social learning and the emphasis he placed on modelling a behaviour really captured my attention. we also examined Maslow hierarchy of needs theory and saw the importance of meeting the physiology needs first then moving on to other needs before reaching self actualization. we then briefly touched on the theory of planned behaviour.

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Today November 25,2021 was another great day of learning. we started off by looking at what is motivation and then did a group activity highlighting intrinsic and extrinsic forms of motivation. we learnt about Bandura's theory of social learning and the emphasis he placed on modelling a behaviour really captured my attention. we also examined Maslow hierarchy of needs theory and saw the importance of meeting the physiology needs first then moving on to other needs before reaching self actualization. we then briefly touched on the theory of planned behaviour.

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Today was great! We are clearly becoming more comfortable sharing each other's experiences and relating the content to our contexts. The principles of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are very interesting and it brought a new perspective to considering factors in various environments that can positively impact children and adults. I found the Theory of Planned Behaviour to be particularly insightful as I have never been exposed to it before. I am wondering how it can be incorporated to develop prevention strategies that would be more successful in targeting behavioural attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. I would like to explore this further. We routinely include "intention to use" measures in our surveys but this goes way deeper by determining the factors that influence intentions. This learning has been exciting.

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Today's session was insightful and interesting. The group discussion on extrinsic motivation within the school setting highlighted the fact that there are some factors that have the ability to be both extrinsic as well as intrinsic motivation for an individual, for example, someone maybe motivated to do well in school because they come from a low socio-economic background could be both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to succeed.
Additionally, the role that motivation plays in prevention, including building self-efficacy in a client was a very interesting discussion for me, Also examining how meeting the needs of our clients (using the Maslow hieracy of needs theory) is an extremely important factor to consider in prevention.
The theory of Learned behaviour and how one's motivation may be affected by the factors that influence their intentions was a new concept for me.
This was a really good session today and I appreciate all the perspectives and experiences shared today!

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Today's session was awesome, persons sharing different experiences. I believe this group work was by far the easiest thus far, as the information was flowing. Our group discussed extrinsic motivation in the workplace, as the discussion flowed we all agreed on salary as the first. Also the import of Maslow hierarchy of needs, which many if not all are familiar with as well. Engagement with participants have increase, persons are comfortable sharing information as we move along, looking forward for class tomorrow :)

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Today's session was an eyeopener to the scope of work to be done in prevention and the relevance of evidenced-based practices. The UNODC's International Standards on Drug Use Prevention is a very useful and helpful document in highlighting those interventions that have been proven to be effective and have undergone assessments. Observing the table which summarizes the efficacy of various intervention with specific target populations, it was noted that some populations in settings such as schools and community did not have a lot of evaluated interventions to determine efficacy of the strategies. This was very alarming for me and a strong indicator of identifying new ways to effectively evaluate and share findings of interventions at these levels. This insight creates a platform for some universal and selective programmes we have in Jamaica. Today was a deeper dive for me into research and learning strategies to address specific barriers in evidenced-based practice.

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Kahoot was loads of fun! And a very clever way to help us to learn more about the International Standards Document. Exposure to these platforms (padlet, kahoot etc.) is capacity building as well because it is teaching us interactive ways to engage with our target populations through virtual engagement. The importance of Evidence-Based Practice is well understood and I am grateful for the insight to address challenges to implement EB Interventions. While evidence from national surveys informs the development of prevention programs in Jamaica, we have not reached the extent of determining the efficacy of different approaches (universal, selective, indicated) among different target groups. So there is much work to be done to improve our approach to prevention.

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During todays lesson, we learnt about evidence based and the importance of it to prevention. As evidence based is the use of systematic decision making processes. Also we got the chance to play kahoot game as the questions were pertaining to international standards. I also enjoyed the group work.

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Today's session helped me to learn more about the developmental stages and the range of evidence-based interventions that have been proven to be effective among different levels (universal, selective and indicated). It always surprises me how quickly the time flies by when we are doing group-related activities! 90 minutes for the class sessions sounds long but it really goes by quickly. It has been a pleasure working with colleagues from across the region and I think we are learning a lot from each other.

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Today's session provided a very practical and insightful approach to better understanding the developmental goals from early childhood to early adulthood, the key resilience factors for each stage, the interventions that are considered to have the highest level of efficacy and the precise manner in which such interventions help to prevent substance use. I really enjoyed the presentations and it is always nice to work in these small groups. My knowledge about the stages of human development has increased exponentially and my understanding of evidence-based interventions at the respective stages has been enhanced.

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For todays session we were placed in groups and received different stages to discuss. For my group the discussion started off low but after getting comfortable with the material the time went by so quickly. The class time went by easily, I guess time flies when having fun and learning. The information shared by the groups were helpful for the lesson important points. Looking forward for the discussion for tomorrows class

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Today's session highlighted the developmental stages and the different interventions necessary for each stage. The use of role plays made it an interesting and fun way to learn and share the information.

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Today's session was very good in helping to reframe the components of the implementation cycle. I am excited about the opportunity to design a prevention programme from scratch for Jamaica using the tools and new knowledge we would have acquired in the course. The activity which we completed in country groups to begin thinking about what we need to do had very critical questions which helped us to focus on the priority areas for such a programme. I look forward to continue increasing my knowledge and skills in prevention programming.

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Today's session was engaging. Understanding more about the UNODC policy and how to apply various intervention programmes in different settings. I have learnt very important ideas about initiatives that we can implement in Jamaica in entertainment settings.

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I am grateful that I took the time to prepare for the Kahoot activity today by thoroughly reading through the International Standards. While the game is exciting, the actual learning that took place to prepare for it was important. The discussion around each answer was also very useful for a deeper understanding of the standards. I am better off for having participated in this course but more importantly, the intention is to use this learning to improve what we are doing here in Jamaica. We have incorporated several aspects of the standards, but there are some that remain untouched. The interventions at infancy and early childhood are an example, where we can impact mothers who use substances etc. Thank you very much for all the time and effort that has been put into building our capacity.

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For today's session we started with the presentation from group 3 which i was apart off. The presentation of the information did not go as planned but nonetheless the information was shared, special thanks to Erica who carried the weight of the session. I found the kahoot game to be engaging, allows you to think quickly, I really appreciated the discussion after each question, also the video shared by Tania, even thou it was in Spanish the content was impactful.

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Today I added another interactive learning tool to the list that I am compiling - Educaplay, plus the padlet and kahoot. The plan is to use these in some of the virtual programmes we conduct here at the National Council on Drug Abuse. The session helped me to see how all the dots are connected in this course - from the foundation learning about the brain, theories, prevention themes etc. and now to apply these concepts to a real life implementation plan. It was good to discuss our context and use evidence from Secondary School studies to determine how we can develop a multi-faceted intervention that tackles some of the trends we are seeing among adolescents in Jamaica.

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Today's lesson we have started discussion re module 7, which w have looked at the implementation cycle. I enjoyed the matching game educaplay, being able to read and use the knowledge of what we do here in Jamaica to answer the questions. I am looking forward for what we will do as team, to develop something new.

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We played Kahoot again today. I enjoy the game as i have a competitive spirit and i believe is a good tool to reinforce what is taught. the relevance of evidenced based practices continue to be reinforced and i am developing a real appreciation for same. the barriers to evidenced based practices are real and must be considered going forward.

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Today we took a closer look at the developmental stages and the evidenced based interventions that have been done at the universal, selective and indicated levels. we were grouped to carry out tasks based on stages of development. i was placed in the early adolescents group and we arranged to present our information in the form of a panel discussion.the time went by so quickly that we didnt have the opportunity to present today and so will do it first thing tomorrow.

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Today's session started off with the presentation from my group. Things didn't go as planned yesterday as our designated moderator for the presentation was unable to join the class. Suzanna stepped into the role and did a great job at it. members of the group seemed unresponsive but we managed to pull off the presentation successfully. We did kahoot again and this time better than before. i was in the top three spot for most of the game until a bathroom break made me miss a question and that was it...great session none the less.

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Today's session didn't go well for me as I lost connection due to a power outage. I caught up by reading the learning anchors and going through the tasks completed. looking forward to tomorrow.

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Today's session was practical exposure to searching a repository of interventions and programmes that are evidence-based. It was great to apply various search options to determine what programmes will be highlighted. It was very important to also see the rating of the programmes in terms of efficacy. This has given me ideas about setting up a repository for NCDA's resource centre and Client Services Department. I enjoyed the session and I gain new insights everyday from the lesson. I am very grateful for Tania and Lei for the knowledge, skills, patience and expert delivery of the content.

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I enjoyed today's session. The test on Join My Quiz was a good review of familiar content. I intend to do the UPC M&E track as it will further strengthen capacity and dive deeper into designing and measuring the effectiveness of our programs. The Blueprints search was very interesting and our group was able to get the hang of it quickly and work together to populate the jamboard. I enjoy the collaboration and hearing perspectives from other colleagues. There are so many resources that are now at our fingertips which we did not have any knowledge of before. Very grateful. I will miss tomorrow's session but will make sure to review the content.

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I joined today's lesson late, due to power outage and missed out on some key information, however i will be reviewing the summary to keep updated. For what I caught, I was placed in a group re discussion on the process re the implementation cycle. We saw where a lot of important steps were listed , such as selecting the necessary persons, the importance of monitoring and evaluation and that its not at the end but can be done through out the entire process. Setting objectives an sticking to those objectives too, looking at the short term and long term outcomes.

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Today's session was very important in grounding the value of the understanding the programme implementation cycle. The activity to review and identify the steps in the sequence as well as tasks associated with each step highlighted the diversity that exists based on the type of programme being developed and implemented as well as the priority or challenge areas for the implementers. The opportunity to evaluate programmes based on short-term, long term outcomes and the methodologies provided new information about the kind of methodologies that are most effective with certain types of programmes. Today was a good session.

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Today's session was very interesting learning more about the UNODC and its policy. It was also interesting exploring how we may apply various interventions in different settings.

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Today's session looked at the implementation cycle. This presented new perspectives in terms of how implementation should take place and I have come to the realization that different cycles may be used based on the particular situation.
This week was very enlightening.

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I particularly enjoyed the Join my quiz game today. The session reinforced my knowledge on types of research such as qualitative and quantitative data. It is always interesting to interact with other colleagues from across the region.

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Today's lesson was awesome, i really enjoyed join my quiz game. I will be using this platform with implementing programs and conducting presentations online. It really showed the difference with qualitative and Quantitative data, I was surprise as to how much information I knew and of course learnt about it. I am really fascinated about the blueprint program listing nd will definitely go pay and view all the programs and see what i can take away from it to use in my country.

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Today's session helped me to understand clearer all the knowledge, skills, attitudes and attributes needed for prevention professionals. The range of competencies and knowledge needed by the professional is vast. This highlights the scope of skills and the value of continuous learning and training particularly since the field of prevention is evolving. My personal assessment of my knowledge and skills reveals that I have much more to learn and more growing to do in terms of my knowledge and competencies. I look forward to additional courses like this one that I can participate in to continue o increase my knowledge and enhance my skills.

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The importance of skills and competencies of prevention professionals is well understood and today's session helped us to think through the range of these skills and competencies that are necessary across different settings and target groups. I liked the discussion on outdated/ineffective strategies because I think it brought out the reality that some of us hold the techniques we are doing in very high esteem, even though science says they are making no difference. So what will happen after this course? Some things definitely need to change. It would be good to determine if and what type of changes are made over time. The self assessment was also very useful to both assess and affirm the things we are doing well and those that need to improve.

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Today's lesson we were able to conclude module 7. Module 7 was filled with important that as professionals will be useful in moving forward in our prevention work. Power outage had me bouncing in and out of the lesson, as we were placed in groups to do a discussion, very important point is that monitoring and evaluation is done throughout and not at the end.

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New week and module 8 is off to a wonderful start. Being placed in a small group discussion today, it showed the difference in terms of how each person categorize skills and knowledge. The discussion allowed us to to think about what we do daily and the information followed. It is important to know that being an excellent listener is a key skill. The self assessment given, showed areas where i have great strength and areas that needs improving. It is also important to note that things change and not all methods are effective and we need to move in the same direction as the change.

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Today's session helped us to pull the ideas for the intervention together and determine gaps to be addressed. The range of skills that prevention professionals should have is interesting as it is broader than typically expected. We are recognizing that it is way beyond the delivery of interactive manualized programs among target groups and that the issue of problem identification, substantiation, resources etc. all factor into the role. While national prevention programs exist here in Jamaica, they are limited in scope and reach, mainly due to human resource constraints. This intervention that we are designing is intended to address that gap through the establishment of partnership with trained school personnel. We are looking forward to fleshing out the components and making them become a reality.

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Today's lesson we had the opportunity of working as a country and discussion re the needs assessment. While some questions were straight forward, we had to think and narrow down what exactly we are looking for. Its a pleasure working with my team mates from Jamaica and looking forward to see what we will establish as a group.

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Today's session confirmed that we are on the right track in Jamaica in terms of the expected prevention program outcomes (short, intermediate and long term). It is a good feeling to be able to identify with international best practice that is being applied here and to also be able to recognize those that require revision/change. The groupwork on developing the M&E plan for our intervention took us a bit of time to settle and determine the information that was required but we got there eventually. What is clear is that the development of an intervention not something that can be rushed or done in a haphazard manner - the steps need to be clearly articulated and logical. The teamwork approach is appreciated because we are able to bounce ideas/thoughts/suggestions off each other and come up with shared agreement on the best way forward.

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Today's review of the implementation cycle and the steps in the sequence of same was very important. It was very enlightening to explore short term and long term outcomes as part of the evaluation process as well as examining the different methodologies that are most effective with certain types of interventions.

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Today's discussion on the importance of having trained personnel for the delivery of prevention programmes was very good. It underscored the importance of using evidence based data and not just a gut feeling to conceptualize and implement a programme so as not to cause any harm.
Today's session also highlighted that there are some things that we will need to change in order to be effective and impactful.
The self-assessment gave me an opportunity to identify the areas that I will need to improve.
A very good session

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Today was great working in our country groups to discuss ideas for an intervention. The group was able to identify a target community, resources needed and create a dream team.
We recognized that while Jamaica has national prevention programs in place, they are limited in scope and reach. This training has provided some valuable insight into how we may begin to improve what is already in existence

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Today's group session highlighted that Jamaica was on the right path in coming up with the short, intermediate and long term expected prevention outcomes.  We also recognized that while on the right path a prevention program requires time and careful planning for successful implementation.
I believe that at the end of this training we will have a solid prevention program that we may actually implement nationally!

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I was absent from this session due to a family emergency but I have reviewed the learning anchors of my colleagues to see what I missed and how I may contribute to the process of developing an evidence-based national intervention.

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I was also absent from this session but I will be fully caught up as my team will be meeting to discuss our project and I will know what role I will be required to play in the process. Very sad that I missed sessions 17 and 18.

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Today's session was a nice refresher about the importance of values and ethics in the profession of substance treatment and prevention. The four steps (assess, plan, implement, evaluate) in the ethical decision making process was a clear guideline with delineated activities for each step and a reminder that we often don't make ethical decisions using a sequential process, rather on what feel right or wrong or what we feel is better in the situation. I look forward to the next class.

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The content on ethics was great for us to understand the wide range of standards that should guide professional practice both internally (within organizations) and externally. It was good to hear how other countries have adapted guidelines and practices through collaboration with academia and others. It has been a pleasure working with colleagues from across the region and I really appreciate being placed in different groups for the different tasks that we were assigned. It is a brilliant way to keep us engaged during the virtual engagement. Looking forward to completing this course and applying all the knowledge to our context. Also looking forward to successfully completing other UPC tracks!

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Today's lesson was a continuation of module 8, looking at the competencies. Discussion re identifying the outcomes, short outcomes, intermediate and long term outcomes. Developing this plan with my colleagues have really allow us to put forward what will best suit Jamaica and identifying key aspects of the plan. It shows how we must analyze this program, i really appreciate the information from blueprint as well, so many programs that are effective in prevention.

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Todays lesson we looked at code of ethics and based on the responses from the chat, it is clear that persons are aware and adhere to the code of ethics as professionals. We looked at internal which looks at the behavior in the workplace and external which is the community. I enjoyed the matching game, however I had some issues filling in the blank but working with other members proves that teamwork is important in getting the job done.

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Today we did a test on join my quiz. It was very engaging and reinforced concepts taught. Our group work today led us to delve into various evidence based prevention programmes in trying to find correct fits for community being worked with. The programmes ratings provided a view of the efficacy. the group work today was a very good one as all participants contributed to the search and discussion and objectives were achieved in time. The course is really an eye opener and being given the opportunity to search in blueprints was the high point of today for me.

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Today's session really hit home as my eyes were opened to some practices which we sometimes rely on which according to evidence prove to be ineffective. I therefore left with the idea that some changes need to be made in how we present information to various groups and what information is presented. We also looked at the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for prevention professionals. they are many and varied. i m truly gaining new insights from this course.

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we got to work in our country groups today. it is always a pleasure working with my Jamaican team. I love hearing from the other countries as it gives me the opportunity to learn from them as well as share experiences. However... there is just something different about working with our fellow Jamaicans. we got the chance to zero in more on the intervention being fleshed out and recognize further all that will be needed to finalize the programme.

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Ethical concerns are of utmost importance and today we delved into this area. We got a chance to share from our country's experiences and it was really good to hear from other countries. All in all i believe us working this closely with other Caribbean territories has been the high point of this course.

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We delivered our intervention presentation today and it was great to hear the positive feedback. We had multiple meetings to put the content together and are committed to refining it and seeing it through to fruition, as outlined in the next steps. Each team member brings different strengths/insight to the group and it was a pleasure to work with my colleagues to get this done. It is clear from the group presentations that the Life Skills Training program was most suitable for adolescent school-based interventions in our countries. The similarities in our contexts was also reinforced. Grateful that the course is almost over and really thankful for all the learning that has taken place.

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Reading about the ethical dilemmas that prevention professionals experience provided incredible insight into how challenging it can be to do what is right and best for all parties concerned. If prevention professionals remain guided by the core values and ethical standards of the discipline by answering the key questions when faced with an ethical dilemma then the process should be more seamless and not as challenging. It is good practice to be given various dilemma scenarios to test critical thinking skills, social values and norms and gain understanding of the rational for people's behaviours.

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I reviewed the content but was unavoidably absent from today's session.

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Today we delivered our implementation plan for the LST programme for early adolescence in Jamaica. It was good to listen to the other groups present. Their presentations highlighted different key elements we could bear in mind for Jamaica's programme, including a comprehensive profile of the various communities across the country in which the programme will be implemented. Another important consideration is the inclusion of the parents in the programme as part of reinforcement and sustainability strategies. We were reminded that our outcomes should be more specific in terms of measurement so we should identify the % of increase or decrease that we would like to see for the different variables. Overall the feedback from Lei and Tania was helpful for all the teams.

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Today the presentations continued with other countries and we learnt a lot about the demographic profile of the communities they intend to target. I was particularly impressed by the detailed M&E plan created by Dominica. All the groups did well and incorporated well what we have been taught.

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Today my colleagues and I presented our prevention plan and I am excited about all the positive feedback that we received. The team worked well together in putting together this assignment and I am positive that this is an initiative that we will implement.
The other presentations today were great as well and underscored the fact that across the region we face similar challenges. I trust that the networks formed during this training will be used to strengthen our prevention initiatives across the region.

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Today we heard more presentations and all groups did a fantastic job. I am looking forward to continuing the work we began in this course.

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Today we got more confirmation that this course has built the capacity of colleagues across the Caribbean region to design prevention interventions at various levels. Again, it has been a great pleasure to participate in this course and learn from others. Thanks a million to CICAD, our trainers and all colleagues who have devoted our time and talents to this course. It was not easy to sign on to class daily, for 5 weeks, but it was so worth it! I am truly grateful. This has been a great learning experience.

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Today's session looked at the presentations, Jamaica was first and i must say i am proud of the work we did together and showed passion for wanting to do prevention and the execution of the presentation was well done. Also it highlighted how effective the LST programme is, really looking forward in implementing this programme in Jamaica.

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Day 2 of presentation, it was a pleasure hearing the other groups sharing their plans and the engagement of each team member. It shows that team work is essential. I am appreciative of my team and the work we have put in, it was a learning experience over the pass couple of weeks working with others. It shows we have similar issues with the Caribbean. All the presentations done were great and hoping for greater things to come from each country.

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Today we looked at ethical concerns and worked through some case studies.
we were placed in groups and given sample cases to work on in assessing ethical dilemmas. I learnt that in the ethical decision process we should asses, plan, implement and then evaluate. In assessing we identify the problem in planning we brainstorm the options, in implementing we make a decision and carry it out and in evaluating we reflect on our decision. the group work today was done easily as each participant contributed equally and willingly to the discussion.

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Today commenced with us starting off the country presentations. We boldly took the lead as we were well prepared and everything was in place. Knowing our team mates prior to the course was really an added plus as we are aware of the various strengths of the members so in the stages of group dynamics i would say we are at the performing stage, hence everything fell into place. we had some glitches with the internet connection but none the less the presentation was of a very high standard and we left feeling pleased with our efforts.