Rove for ACON

Are you interested in becoming an ACON Rover? Come and join a team of wonderful volunteers that are loved by the GLBT community.

Recruitment, training + supervision

ACON recruits ACON Rovers regularly. Once you've been accepted into the program, you'll need to attend two evening training sessions as well as regular refresher training and supervision. To be an ACON Rover all you need are enthusiasm and great communication skills.

Planning a party?

ACON Rovers attend a variety of events across NSW including:

• All night parties
• Recovery parties
• Day parties
• Cruises

ACON Rovers attend parties regardless of capacity. We have attended events ranging from 1,000 patron capacity to 18,000 patron capacity at events such as Mardi Gras.

We tailor the ACON Rover program to your needs and are also able to advise you on a variety of issues that relate to alcohol, drugs and health promotion.

Here to help

The ACON Rovers are a team of volunteers who provide health promotion services at major GLBT events. Each ACON Rover is trained, supervised and equipped to:

Sterile equipment

Wherever possible, use all new and sterile injecting equipment. This is the ideal for every time you inject. So when you go to the NSP try and load up on as much equipment as you can. In NSW equipment is free from NSPs so at least it won’t cost you money to do so. There are sometimes reasons you end up not having enough new equipment. We’ve included info on bleaching and flushing below but do try and get enough clean equipment to use freshies as often as possible.

First point of contact

Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs) are often the first point of contact between health services and people who inject drugs. NSP workers are able to provide education and information on healthcare issues and drug related harm. NSP workers can also facilitate entry into drug treatment and other health and welfare services.

Transmission

Hepatitis C can't be caught by hugging, sharing plates, cutlery or washing machines. Although HCV is rarely passed on sexually, all sexually active people need to consider safe sex due to the range of sexually transmissible diseases with which they can become infected. There is a small chance the virus will be passed on to a baby during pregnancy or at birth. The risk is increased if the mother has only just become infected (or reinfected) or if she has serious liver damage. HCV does not seem to be passed on via breast milk.

Drugs are taken in a number of different ways. The effects of different drugs can be powerful and absorption into the body especially from smoking or injecting is fast. There are different risks associated with using particular drugs and the ways they are used.

More info

Contact: ACON Alcohol and Other Drugs Program

What is dependent drug and alcohol use?

There are degrees of dependency (a.k.a. addiction) to different substances including licit substances such as alcohol and nicotine. It's impossible to say how long or how often a person must use a drug before they become dependent.

Dependence can be psychological, physical, or both.

Psychological Dependence

• when a person feels compelled in certain or in different situations to use a drug in order to function effectively or to achieve emotional satisfaction

Physical Dependence

• Support groups
• Drug treatment services
• Drug user organisations
• Youth specific
• Drug information
• More info

Support groups

Alcoholics Anonymous

12 step meetings for recovery from alcohol use.  GLBT specific meetings available.

Web: Alcoholics Anonymous

CMA