INTRODUCTION

I have seen a lot of addicts go through many ups and downs, but who really recognizes the true value of improvements that these people make themselves? … Taking everything into consideration — upbringing, background, lifestyle and environment, the sheer will to gain control and make improvements is no less than heroic for a ‘junkie’ or addict. Looking closely, we believe that we all have addiction issues and these deserve to be humbly evaluated! (Johnny Knox, in UpWords^{Footnote 1} 1(1), September 2005)

This observation by a street-involved drug user highlights a key issue that adult educators must consider if they want to be successful in Johnny’s neighbourhood: that any change in a program participant’s lifestyle must happen on their own terms, at their speed, following a path that works for them.

That is central to the philosophy of Harm Reduction, which Robertson and Poole (1999) describe as "a philosophic and practical approach to numerous interconnected human realities (drug use, sexuality, relationship violence, safety, etc.)". Harm Reduction recognizes that:

• risk is a natural, universal part of all our lives;
• drug users experience both benefits as well as risks/harms from using substances, and
• people change at their own pace, based on things such as readiness, motivation, safety, information, skills and beliefs.

We will describe Harm Reduction in more detail in the Literature Review

Capilano College works with community groups in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to operate learning centres for adults with “high-risk” lifestyles (including drug use, working in the sex trade, living with violent partners and being street-involved). We, the instructors who manage and teach in those learning centres, wanted to learn more about Harm Reduction and how we could use it to improve teaching and learning.