Australian Institute of Criminology
Doors Wide Open Inc today received a bronze award in the community-led category of the 2019 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA).
The ACVPA recognise best practice in the prevention or reduction of violence and other types of crime in Australia and play a vital role in highlighting effective community-based initiatives to prevent crime and violence.
Doors Wide Open is a community-based centre in Bunbury, WA that provides support, advocacy and information to methlyamphetamine and other drug users and their family and friends.
Coordinator Courtney Pugh said the program is unique in that it provides initial urgent intervention, when other agencies are either not open or at capacity.
“Doors Wide Open has made rapid inroads to providing an alternative approach to reducing problematic meth use in the greater Bunbury area,” said Ms Pugh.
“Winning this award helps us to raise awareness of meth and other drug addictions in the community, while highlighting there are services available that can assist people overcome their addictions.”
The annual ACVPA recognise the outstanding contributions being made across Australia for crime prevention, including the development and implementation of practical projects to reduce violence and other types of crime in the community.
“Doors Wide Open is innovative in its early engagement with users after release and capacity to fill gaps in available services,” said Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) Director, Michael Phelan APM.
All projects are assessed each year by the ACVPA Board, which consists of senior law enforcement representatives from each state and territory police service, and chaired by the AIC Director.
The awards are a joint initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments, coordinated by the AIC and co-sponsored by the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management.
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