Public Education and Advocacy Directorate

The Public Education and Advocacy Directorate is responsible for developing and implementing nationwide education and awareness campaigns on alcohol and drug abuse, as well as capacity-building and advocacy programs targeting families, schools, workplaces, and communities.

It evaluates the effectiveness of these programs and collaborates with County governments to tailor initiatives to local needs. Additionally, the Directorate creates frameworks for Training of Trainers (ToT) and Training of Facilitators (ToF), maintains an updated directory of trained personnel, and monitors county-specific public education efforts. Finally, it establishes guidelines to ensure structured implementation of capacity-building and advocacy programs across all levels.

The Public Education and Capacity Development Department is responsible for designing, implementing, and monitoring capacity-building and training programs related to alcohol and drug abuse. Its key functions include:

Framework & Curriculum Development – Creating guidelines, training curricula, and programmatic content.
Implementation & Monitoring – Rolling out county-specific, family, school, workplace, and community-based programs while assessing their effectiveness.
Resource Development – Updating training materials, manuals, and maintaining a database of trained professionals.
Strategy & Capacity Building – Developing strategies for program execution and enhancing the skills of trainers (ToTs – Trainers of Trainers and ToFs – Trainers of Facilitators).

This ensures a structured approach to addiction prevention and professional training nationwide.

The Public Awareness and Advocacy Department's key responsibilities include:

Developing public engagement strategies.
Creating and executing advocacy programs on alcohol and drug abuse for families, schools, workplaces, and communities.
Formulating and implementing the Authority’s advocacy strategy.
Producing evidence-based educational and communication materials.
Conducting public awareness campaigns against alcohol and drug abuse.
Establishing partnerships with local and international stakeholders on drug abuse issues.

Family Based Prevention Interventions

Did you know?

Families are the bedrock of society. When things go wrong in the family the whole society is affected.
Parents have the greatest influence in helping their children grow happy and learn to cope well in difficult life situations such as enticement to use alcohol and drugs.

What can you do?

Be warm and responsive by displaying affection and complementing good behaviour;
Establish rules and boundaries to enhance acceptable behaviour;
Closely monitor free time and activities their children engage in;
Be actively involved by monitoring school work, knowing their children’s friends;
Manage screen time for children of all ages – phone/internet/online games addiction is real; and
Be positive role models.

What have we done?

Developed a Parent’s Guide to Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention CLICK HERE
Reached more than 10 million parents with Positive Parenting for Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention

Who do we work with?

Faith-based institutions, community-based organizations, resident associations, workplaces and other custodians of families to reach parents and their families.

What programs are available?

Sensitization on Positive Parenting for Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention
Training on Family Based Prevention Interventions
Technical support towards the prevention of drug use targeting families.

CLICK HERE for more information about the sensitization and training programs

School Based Prevention Interventions

Why do schools Matter?

Schools can make a difference through:

Creating a positive school culture where students feel challenged to excel, safe and supported;
Implementing substance use policies that reduce accessibility and act as deterrents to alcohol and drug use;
Equipping students with relevant personal and social skills including ability to cope with social influences to smoke, drink or use drugs
Providing preventive education on the negative effects of substance use to learners and parents; and
Providing counselling, referral and support for individual learners facing substance use challenges

What have we done?

Developed the National Guidelines for Alcohol and Substance Use Prevention and Management in Basic Education Institutions CLICK HERE
Developed age-appropriate supplementary reading for children of different ages CLICK HERE

What programs are available?

LifeSkills Training (LST) for middle school;
Sensitization on Positive parenting;
Training on school-based prevention interventions;
Technical support towards the prevention of drug use targeting families.

CLICK HERE for more information about the sensitization and training programs.

Workplace based prevention

Comprehensive substance use prevention efforts cut back workplace accidents, lost productivity, compensation, claims and employee health costs. Employers should:

Embed substance use prevention in health and wellness programs/strategies;
Provide information and messages to working parents on substance use prevention;
Include stress management programs and strategies;
Provide brief interventions, counseling, and referral services to employees on substance use disorders; Guarantee confidentiality of employees as part of combating stigma against seeking help.

NACADA offers training, sensitization, and support to institutions in the public and private sectors towards the prevention of drug use within their workplaces. Cluster training are conducted every quarter and provides opportunities for institutions to learn from each other. Click here for guidelines on prevention in the workplace.

Community Based Prevention Interventions

Did you know?

Communities are a reflection of what happens in families;

Communities can make a difference through:

Supporting the enforcement of alcohol, tobacco and drug policies at local levels;
Holding counties accountable to reduce the number alcohol outlets in their neighbourhood;
Preventing the sale and consumption of alcohol and drugs to underage children;
Providing community care and support for affected individuals and families; and
Supporting alcohol and tobacco free zones

What have we done?

Developed the Framework for Community Engagement in Management of Alcohol and Drug Abuse CLICK HERE
Developed Community Health Promoters curriculum;
Establishment of community workgroups;
Sensitization forums for various organized groups;
Sensitizations of members of the community in barazas, churches, sports activities, local radio shows; and
Support community sports activities

What programs are available?

Capacity building for community workgroups
Sensitizations for out of school youth
Training of informal sector workplaces through their associations
Training on Community Based Implementation Systems

CLICK HERE for more information about the sensitization and training programs.

Why is it important to report what you are doing?

Document best practice for others to learn from
Contribute to the big picture about prevention in Kenya
We need to know what you are doing as a prevention professional

What have we done?

Developed the National Guidelines on Alcohol and Drug Prevention CLICK HERE
Developed the Code of Practice for Prevention Professionals CLICK HERE
Developed the National Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention System CLICK HERE

What should you do in reporting?

Reporting will be done two (2) times in a year – January and July;
Follow this LINK to fill in and submit data about the activities done