The way home for addicts after rehabilitation

Linking with facilities to provide vocational training; organizing consultation sessions, job introduction; providing guidance, creating conditions to access preferential loans, job creation... are practical ways in many localities to open the way for successful drug addicts to rebuild their lives.

Spreading reading culture at drug rehabilitation facilities

Support short-term vocational training costs for drug addicts

At the end of June 2024, Gia Lai Provincial Drug Addiction Counseling and Rehabilitation Center and Gia Lai Provincial Employment Service Center organized a consultation session and introduced jobs to drug addicts before reintegrating into the community.

Recruitment companies in Gia Lai guide students on how to prepare documents, apply for jobs, and borrow money after completing drug rehabilitation at the facility. (Photo: Gia Lai Newspaper)

Nearly 200 students of the Gia Lai Province Drug Addiction Counseling and Rehabilitation Center were consulted by the Provincial Employment Service Center, businesses, and vocational training facilities, and introduced to policies on job placement support, labor export; labor market information; vocational training, etc.

At the same time, the State's policies and laws are disseminated and disseminated; information on recruitment and enrollment of businesses and vocational training facilities is provided, helping with career orientation and job search after returning to reintegrate into the community. In addition, specific instructions and answers are given on policies to support training and employment; how to prepare documents, job application procedures, and loans after completing drug addiction treatment at the facility and returning to the community.

Participating in the job counseling and introduction session, Mr. Nguyen Duc T. (Tran Phu Street, Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province) said: When he was in his third year studying Tourism at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, he was addicted to drugs because of his friends' invitation to hang out. Later, when he was discovered using drugs, Mr. T. was taken to the Provincial Drug Counseling and Rehabilitation Center. Here, he learned carpentry.

By participating in the job consultation and introduction session, Mr. T. learned more about the legal policies on employment and vocational training, recruitment and enrollment information of businesses, vocational training facilities, vocational training centers, and vocational training support.

“After completing my drug rehabilitation at the facility and returning to reintegrate into the community, I will return to university to complete my final year of the Tourism major, and then find a job that suits me. Today, participating in the job fair, I am determined to rebuild my life and not fall back into the path of addiction like before,” said Mr. T.

According to Mr. Bui Duc Dung, Director of the Student Recruitment and Support Center (Gia Lai College), to avoid drug addiction relapse, one must have a stable job, so the school has many programs to support people after drug rehabilitation. At this job fair, the Center promoted propaganda and mobilization work. For students who want to learn a trade, the school will create all conditions to help them find a suitable job to establish themselves and start a career.

In Hai Phong , mass organizations and local authorities have joined in "supporting" the aspirations of drug addicts to reform. Mr. Pham Quang Chiem, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee (VFF) of Kenh Duong Ward, Le Chan District, said that there are currently 20 cases of drug addiction in the ward. The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the ward has coordinated with the Front Working Committee of residential groups to propagate so that people do not discriminate or shun them, and create conditions for addicts to receive daily work or contract work at small businesses. At the same time, mass organizations have guided and created conditions for these cases to access preferential loans and create jobs, with a total outstanding debt of nearly 100 million VND.

At Thanh Xuan Social Labor School, drug addicts voluntarily learn a trade, practice some handicrafts, make votive paper... Not only helping students to cure their addiction, some facilities also cooperate with Thang Long Tourism College, Hai Phong Vocational Technical College to open vocational training classes: food processing, mechanics, motorbike repair, electricity... for about 200-400 people/year. After attending these classes, after the drug rehabilitation period, students have vocational certificates, elementary level, have stable income and jobs.

Director of Hai Phong Employment Service Center (Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs) Tang Tien Son informed: It is expected that in the third quarter of 2024, the Center will connect to organize job introduction activities and labor export for students undergoing drug addiction treatment at Drug Rehabilitation Center No. 2, Gia Minh Drug Rehabilitation Center...; organize counseling at Methadone replacement treatment points, so that addicts can increase their opportunities to access jobs and have a stable income.

Students at the Quang Ninh Province Drug Rehabilitation Center are supported with vocational training to have the opportunity to find jobs after completing the rehabilitation program. (Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper)

Ha Long City (Quang Ninh Province) also focuses on promoting community reintegration for people after drug rehabilitation. The city builds a plan to implement policies to support job creation and income for people who have made mistakes; continues to effectively organize and implement programs and projects to serve the work of preventing and combating social evils; projects to improve the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation and pilot preventive interventions for drug users and people at high risk of drug use; programs to receive and support victims of trafficking in the city... At the same time, build and replicate models on preventing and combating prostitution and drugs; support and help with loans, vocational training, and create stable jobs for people reintegrating into the community.

According to statistics from 2019 to present, the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs of Ha Long City and the People's Committees of communes and wards have coordinated with local agencies and units to propagate, orient, advise and introduce jobs to 136 people after drug rehabilitation; the number of people who have jobs after drug rehabilitation is 35. The city has also disbursed loans to 11 individuals and households with a total amount of 530 million VND.

The above activities help drug addicts to have jobs and stable income after returning to the community, which means helping them reduce the risk of relapse, give up drugs completely to become useful people for their families and society.