It seems like a good starting point for this discussion to look at how our teaching is in line with Harm Reduction principles. We start with the definition we gave to the focus groups:
We accept, for better and for worse, that these activities are part of our world. We do not ask people to stop doing them, but try to help them be safer, take control and make changes only when they are ready.
… and add the conclusion that one of the focus groups came to:
We came to the conclusion that harm reduction means that it is recognized that people do need drugs to cope at times and it is a reality of life.
… and finally the observation from the UpWords team:
There are lots of groups for stimulant users who have quit or want to quit. We are different. We say we like using it, now how can we make it safe?
All of these elements are linked to acceptance, respect and giving learners a voice — things that literacy practitioners are already very good at. However, as Alderson and Twiss said in Literacy for Women on the Street:
The pitfall is that you can become attached to your expectations as women make progress, attend regularly and appear enthused about their learning. When women suddenly stop coming or get heavily back into drugs, it is easy to feel disappointment as literacy instructors and to wonder if we are making any difference. (Alderson & Twiss, 2003: 52)
Another challenge for literacy practitioners, programs and funders is the difficulty to show “progress”, justify our existence and, as Betsy Trumpener (1997) says “speak the language of the marketplace”. A series of “unsuccessful” attempts to get off drugs is not on a list of typical “indicators of success” and Carol (the woman trying to succeed at detox, described in the journal entry above) is still a long way from being successful in the market place. However, according to Harm Reduction principles, Carol is a success. If we are going to contribute to Harm Reduction we need to adjust our attitudes and describe what our learners are doing in a way that emphasizes that success. Institutions and funders need to adapt their measurements to recognize that learning is not linear.