Time for Change Survey and Report

34 Figure 13. Support for greater investment in peer-based drug user organisations Support was highest among respondents who identified as family members of people who use drugs (94.2%), followed closely by friends of people who use drugs (93.2%), and students and/or young people (91.6%), followed by professionals (87.9%), and people who use drugs (85.1%). Greater investment in peer-based drug user organisations was supported by significantly more respondents who identified as someone who uses drugs, or as a student and/or young person in comparison with people who did not identify these ways. Gender- diverse people also showed higher support than male-identifying people. Similar support for peer-based services among young people who use drugs was found in SSDP Australia’s #BeHeardNotHarmed Survey, where 73% of respondents indicated that they would prefer to access services run by peers, and a further 20% indicated that they did not min d. 16 Of the 164 respondents who provided reasons for this preference, 50% mentioned the safe space these services provide, 39% felt that peers could better understand their experiences, and 34% stressed the importance of lived and living experience in providing meaningful support. Importantly, 48% reported peer-based services as their primary source of alcohol and other drug information and 55% indicated that these services would be their preferred source of such information if they were accessible and available, indicating an unmet need. Overall, 71% of respondents said these services provided very or extremely relevant info. These findings point to the core role of peer-based drug user organisations for young adults who use drugs. Recommendation #12 We recommend that all federal and state/territory governments increase investment in peer-based drug user organisations to adequately resource their activities and potential at state/territory and national levels. 16 Stronach O, Farah B & Webb P (2024) ‘#BeHeardNotHarmed National Survey Report.’ Students for Sensible Drug Policy Australia . Available here.