Starting a RaveSafe Chapter

 

We have had many requests from people around the world seeking advice on "How do I start RaveSafe in my home town"

Here is how we did it, the rules we have set for volunteers and other information that will help you get going.

RaveSafe Southern Africa exists as a very decentralised organisation. We have informal committees in most of the major metropolitan areas, with each committee appointing a co-ordinator. We liaise nationally (and International if you count in Namibia) via e-mail.

It starts by a few like-minded individuals getting together, perhaps informally at first. You should all be clear as to why you are there and what you plan to do. RaveSafe ZA was started, and is still run by Ravers for Ravers. You can call your organisation anything you like. RaveSafe is a concept, not a global organisation.

 

Why a RaveSafe ?

You might have a number of reasons to start a RaveSafe chapter. Whilst there are no strict rules as to why you should be doing it, we can only offer our reasons and hope you feel the same way.

Probably the biggest reason why we started was that there was a lack of honest and non-judgemental information about drugs.

Coming out of a very repressed society in South Africa, there wasn't a tradition of open and honest dialog and the sharing of information. We saw the emergence of rave culture and a lot of drugs doing the rounds, and generally people having no idea of what was what.

We believed that young people experimenting with drugs such as dagga ( local name for marijuana), ecstasy et al would be in a better position to avoid problems if they simply knew of facts such as dosage, dangers of addiction, side effects, dangers of mixing, etc. Sure, there would be no problems if no drug use was taking place but the fact is that it is, and that is the cornerstone of our reason for being here. We also are familiar with the vastness of information resources available to the youth today, specifically the Internet, and recognised the need to help develop life skills in coping with this.

The traditional view on drugs is that they are all the same and are all to be avoided. This is the message that youth get from schools, the authorities and often their parents. We feel that this simply just does not wash anymore because it simply is not true: all drugs are not the same. But at the same time we did not want to promote drugs use, or send out the message that drugs are kewl.

One must realise and accept that the RaveSafe approach is going to bump up against the traditional "War Against Drugs" and prohibitionist views from time to time, but that must be handled constructively and diplomatically. If you are clear as to why you are here, you will not have a problem defending yourself or RaveSafe because what we are doing is simply common sense.

We also believe that PLUR (Peace-Love-Unity-Respect) was a concept worth promoting with the youth. Rave is essentially a very positive experience, and what better way of developing and channelling that energy is there ?

With this mind set, RaveSafe got going here in South Africa in earnest over the past three years. We feel it has been very worth our while, since we have received enormous positive feedback from the youth with whom we have been working. For those of us that have put in an enormous amount of time, we feel it was a positive intervention at the right time. We are all volunteers and no one draws a salary.

 

Getting Started

Right, you have got a few people to help. Remember, no matter how fantastic you are, you cannot do it all by yourself. RaveSafe work needs a team of people.

You should always welcome anyone new to the group. It might start of from a group of friends, but soon others will want to help. Everyone should be given a chance.

There are a number of things you can/should do. First of all, always remember RaveSafe's prime function is the research, production and distribution of Harm Reduction information.

That sounds kinda serious but that doesn't mean you can't have fun doing it !

 

Media Production

The first step is already done for you: all the information on this RaveSafe home page is available to print out in a small booklet form. Or simply cut'n'paste from the web page.

That you can easily do with a Windows PC and a Laser Printer. Take it to a copy shop if you got the money, or roll your own depending on finances (more on this later).

Then it is a matter of distributing this information. This can be tricky.

All new material put out under the name 'RaveSafe' must be verified by an appointed media co-ordinator before going out to print. This is to ensure quality of information and to keep the information provided within the realm of Harm Reduction.

The source of the information must always be credited.

 

Finding Trust & Acceptance

At first, we were met with a lot of suspicion by ravers. They initially thought we were anti-drug and kept their distance. It took a while to gain acceptance and now we are very much part of the scene. Remember, RaveSafe does not pass judgement on the use of drugs ! But that doesn't mean we are going to tell people how to get the most out of their drugs either.

Acceptance and trust is a very important part of Harm Reduction work. We are working within a community of people (mostly youth) who are experimenting with drugs and who get a strong anti-drug message everywhere else: at home, at school, in the media. But that still does not stop people from trying or using drugs and that is where we come in. And for them to listen to us and take our material seriously, you need their trust and acceptance. And like with most good things in life, this takes time and work.

 

Media Distribution

There are many ways to circulate RaveSafe material. It has been our policy only to distribute the material at places where people are exposed to drugs, and not to be unsolicited in our approach. That is we do not go around handing out our booklets at schools or shopping malls.

A good place to start is to circulate the media amongst circles of friends whom you know are experimenting with drugs. Perhaps even hold small get togethers to discuss the information and share knowledge.

Rave clubs are a good place as well. The easiest is to ask the manager if you can leave a few copies at the door or a table in the venue. You might even want to decorate a table, and if you are up to it, hang around to meet people. We have found club owners to be difficult because having such material around means admission that drugs are being taken which puts them on the spot with the police, but this has varied from venue to venue (and owner to owner).

However, the place where we 'go big' is at the big public raves, which deserves some elaboration since this is where we have made our mark. People have come to expect to see RaveSafe at an event, and feel safer and cared for if we are there.

 

Presence at Raves

What we have done in Joburg and Cape Town is organise teams of volunteers to staff a stall / stand / Bedouin tent at most of the major raves over the past few years. This was/is more than just a table with pamphlets on and persons sitting in attendance: we 'add value' to the rave and make it a fun place to hang out. For example this is what we do in Gauteng.

We provide a comfortable raver-friendly place at raves where we:

This is how we do it:

We do not:

As you can imagine, this is quite a mission, so you need a team of people. We have:

A shift is usually 9 hours from 22h00 to 07h00, divided into 2/3 hour slots. The crews range in size from 8 to 16 people, depending on the size of the party. At the very large parties we double up the shifts so there are 4 people on duty at the hectic hours, normally between 01h00 and 04h00 (the 'rush' hours :).

Crew members do 2 to 3 hour shifts where they are expected to be at the stand, but are still on RS duty even when there shifts are over. It is important to work as a team at all times, and those who are not on shift duty act as eyes and ears for those who are. They can also hand out water and help fill up the water drums for those on duty. They also act as monitors on the dance floor to keep an eye out for those in need.

RaveSafe volunteers wear tags or badges with the RaveSafe logo in UV so that they can be identified. We usually make a different laminated tag for each party with the party flier on one side and the RS logo on the other. These have become collectors items amongst the crew.

Everyone in the team for that night gets a free pass to the party. Often there is quite a bit of overlap i.e. setup people doing the first shift. Volunteers only have to be at the stand during their shifts but most end up hanging out there the whole night. We also try and rotate shifts ie someone who did a late shift last time can do an early shift this time. It is also important to rotate volunteers to give everyone a chance.

We normally charge the organisers for a RaveSafe setup, here at least R500. If it's a chill room with music, we charge R3000 (still a good deal for them!).

This setup has worked well: we have funded all our media from proceeds and are very much part of the local scene here.

Cape Town do a similar, but smaller setup.

Volunteer Policy

Training of New Volunteers

At the very least, new volunteers should be familiar with all the material in the booklet or on the web site. They should spend time with more experienced people to learn the skills, especially dealing with the public.

It is also important to organise elementary First Aid training for volunteers. You might find paramedic organisations willing to do this for free, and who might even appreciate some training on drug use from you. RaveSafe makes it clear to organisers that we are NOT paramedics and are not responsible for any medical treatment at all. We deal with the head cases, they deal with the broken bones and those in need of any medical attention. You may want to get the organiser to sign an indemnity form absolving RS of any responsibility in this regard.

We have no hard and fast rules for volunteer training: it's mainly on the job. However, you must be careful about inexperienced or immature volunteers dealing with the public.

When we have gathered the names of a few new interested people we hold a new members meeting. This is to inform people of what RaveSafe does and our principles. A basic introduction. We also discuss talk-down techniques and share experiences of incidents at parties or with friends. It is important to remind volunteers that people are placing a lot of trust in them which they should not abuse or be flippant with or careless about. It is also important to remain calm at all times, and not to panic. Remind them that can always ask other volunteers for help if they are not sure, or not getting through to someone.

 

Keeping in Touch

You should have a meeting at least once a month, at a time when it suits everyone. We normally have a meeting on a Thursday evening at an Internet Cafe.

We have setup Internet e-mailing lists for all the regions (Cape Town, Gauteng and Durban) for them to use. These are for active members and here they can post notice of meetings and minutes thereafter, spread news, discussion etc.

There is a mailing list that we urge anyone starting a chapter to join. Take a look at the planet-RaveSafe list on the Mailing List page. Here you will be able to network with others doing the same work.

Other non-wired volunteers are kept posted on forthcoming attractions by more traditional methods such as the telephone, though this is not as effective as e-mail and attending regular meetings.

Mailing Lists are easy to setup on a List Server. Most ISP's offer this service, though you might be able to get one as a favour from a pal in place where they have a permanent connection to the Internet and a mail list server such as Majordomo.

Building your own website is not a bad idea, and link it to ours for info. This is very useful for networking, for getting your message out and for getting volunteers. You may also want to set up a discussion list for people in your country or region.

 

Fundraising & Finances

This part is not so easy. We have tried many routes to raise enough funds for large print runs of our booklets, but so far have not been successful.

We tried quiet a few corporates, but they all are very touchy about being associated with us because of the nature of our work. We even went so far as to get an official fund raising number, but this has not seemed to help us much besides giving us an official status.

In the end, it's our work at the large raves that has brought in the money for the printing, which is our only real expense. Plus a few donations and support from sympathetic people and businesses that kept us going.

You must have a Treasurer who keeps a Cash Book, which is a simple log of all income and expenses. A Cheque Bank Account in your chapters name is perhaps in order once you have got the ball rolling but we have operated out of a Petty Cash box so far. Often we get a cheque payment made out directly to the printers, thereby avoiding banking and cheque clearing delays.

 

Dealing with the Media

Rational, objective discussion on illicit drug use is not the popular media's strongest point, so you have to be careful. It's very easy for them to get a wrong angle on our work, or mis-quote an inexperienced volunteer.

We have had a strict media policy here: all correspondence is referred to the regional co-ordinators who are experienced with such matters.

However, it is possible to create positive press. We have had great success with our Safe House campaign: as a result of this and the media blitz we did, we have been on national TV three times in the past few months, most of it very positive.

The best approach is not to get into a lengthy discussion of your personal views on drug use / abuse or whatever the case may be, rather refer them to our material to read, explain what we do and how we do it, etc. Most journalists are on the Internet, so send 'em packing to www.ravesafe.org.za

The opportunity can be used to educate journalists about drug use, and hopefully they will be enriched by the exposure and know where to come for honest and objective info next time :)

 

The Law

As stated, we tow a thin line between being perceived as narcs by drug users and as dealers by the narcs and parents, a narc being a member of the SANAB (the Narcotics wing of the SA Police Services).

It is important to emphasise that RaveSafe does not operate above the law. We here in the Gauteng group have even met with the local Colonel-in-charge to introduce ourselves and our work. Obviously, they have some difficulty with us due to our intimate contact with drug users, but so far they have respected us, as we have them. It was a useful meeting, where we got to see how difficult their job is. But as far as they are concerned, an E tab is just the same as a Mandrax one or a sachet of Heroin.

Meeting the authorities is not a bad idea we figured because if ever we were to bump into some trouble, there would be a personal contact higher up in the ranks which would could make use of if we needed to.

Remember that RaveSafe is not about legalisation. Whilst a case can be made for the de-criminalisation of the user with the context of Harm Reduction, that is not out prime focus so never try and argue that with a law enforcement officer whilst wearing a RaveSafe hat.

The volunteer code with regards to drug possession MUST be taken seriously by all volunteers. Even a dagga pip in someones bag can spell doom for RaveSafe if they are bust whilst on duty. It simply is not fair to put others at risk.

 

Community Outreach

Think of RaveSafe volunteer turnaround as an outreach process. Even if those people aren't coming to meetings anymore, you can be sure they have taken all the knowledge and positive energy they got from us into their communities.

Past volunteers form the basis of taking the RaveSafe message out to the community. This is on-going, so make sure that no one leaves under a cloud. When someone indicates that they wish to move on, thank them for their time and effort in no uncertain terms.

We have been giving talks on our work to groups of people, mainly hosted by clubs. Schools would be an interesting and worthwhile place to go to, but we realise that there are going to be problems with governing boards etc since we are not anti-drug, and are not prepared to tell pupils not to take drugs. However, we will attend if we are invited. But times are changing, and so are attitudes to RaveSafe by parents. We have even been invited to talk to a group of Scouts !

The format of such meetings should be one of a peer group discussion: a formal speech just does not work. Remember, we are connecting with the youth as facilitators of information, not symbols of authorities. A brief introduction, and then a question and answer session works best.

 

In Closing

The successful functioning of a RaveSafe chapter relies both on team work, as well as capable and resourceful leadership. Democracy must be practised at all times: all decisions should be taken collectively and with consensus. Avoid team-splitting votes, rather seek a negotiated solution that goes down with everyone, even if it takes a bit more time to do so.

Remember to have fun at all times. If RaveSafe work gets too boring or serious, volunteers will rapidly disappear. Always be on the lookout for, and welcome new people in. The nature of the work can be quite demanding so you will find quite a bit of coming and going with people.

Do more than the raving drill: Chill ! Have socials such as picnics, small parties or here in ZA the traditional Braai never fails as a social gathering point.

If there is a personality clash or any other problem within the team, it has to be dealt with sooner than later. Best it dealt with openly and honestly. Never perpetuate a rumour: stop it in it's tracks. Give the person concerned an opportunity to answer for themselves.

It is important to realise that with all this work comes a lot or responsibility. If you find, as we have done, that people start to rely on you for information, you must make sure that it is up to date and accurate. If you are unsure, rather abstain than give inaccurate information.

Down the line, you will be able to bask in the warm and fuzzy feeling that you have made a difference, and that will be reward enough for all your hard work.

Please let us know ALL YOUR Details if you are starting a RafeSafe

Good luck !

 

Resources for RaveSafe chapters:

 


Disclaimer Read and act at your own risk.

Knowledge is power.

Be responsible and...

.... if you do drugs, don't let drugs do you.

Back to the RaveSafe home

Web site sponsored by The MilkyWay Internet Cafe