UWE Bristol is delighted to announce a new Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) partnership with Bristol Drugs Project, co-funded by Innovate UK. This collaboration aims to develop and trial a digital communications campaign to facilitate engagement with early intervention in ketamine dependency. The development of the campaign will involve:
- Researching barriers to users’ engagement with the night/festival programmes.
- Developing effective messaging.
- Identifying media and influencers through which the campaign may be delivered
Ketamine use has risen dramatically among young people across the UK in the past few years. There is very little research around the methods and messages we use to engage people around their drug use. This campaign will bring together the expert support that BDP offer people who use drugs in Bristol with the expert researchers at UWE Bristol to develop a body of evidence around what messages connect with people who use ketamine with the aim of engaging them in treatment earlier to prevent long term physical health issues.
About Bristol Drugs Project Limited
Bristol Drugs Project (BDP) is a charity providing harm reduction and treatment for people who are experiencing a negative relationship with drugs and/or alcohol. With 39 years of experience, their goal is to support people towards the changes they want to see in their lives no matter what they may be.
BDP strives to support all members of Bristol in an open and inclusive service and are passionate about challenging the stigma faced by people who use drugs and alcohol wherever BDP see it.
The Project
With specialist support from the academic team based in the Bristol Business School at UWE Bristol, the project aims to increase engagement with the Bristol Drugs Project’s ketamine harm reduction interventions, via the application of social marketing (behaviour change) principles and digital marketing techniques.
“BDP are proud to deliver evidence-based interventions for people in Bristol around their drug and alcohol use. This project offers us an amazing opportunity to develop a body of evidence that will improve people’s engagement and experiences in treatment around their ketamine use. We are very proud to partner with researchers from UWE Bristol on this project.”
Lydia Plant – CEO of Bristol Drugs Project
Co-Funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation. For more information visit www.innovateuk.ukri.org
