ISSUP Global invites you to join the upcoming webinar titled “Strengthening Leadership in Prevention: Sharing Insights from the Development of an Evidence-Based Workshop.”

Date: Thursday, 11th December 2025

Time: 3:00 PM London | 10:00 AM EST 

Register for the Webinar

This webinar introduces the concept and rationale behind the Investing in Evidence-Based Prevention (IEP) workshop - a focused, 5-hour learning initiative developed by ISSUP to strengthen decision-making in prevention.

Directed primarily toward policy-makers, decision-makers, and funders, the IEP workshop aims to bridge the gap between research and practice by equipping participants with the knowledge, tools, and shared language needed to make informed, cost-effective, and sustainable prevention investments.

The session will share results from the IEP pilot, which brought together 18 participants from 17 countries. Insights from pre- and post-training evaluations and focus group discussions (FGDs) helped assess the workshop’s impact on participants’ knowledge and understanding of prevention science. The feedback gathered through this process has been used to refine and strengthen the workshop materials, ensuring an even better fit for future regional adaptations — including the forthcoming Italian, Spanish and French versions.

Participants in this webinar will gain an understanding of how IEP contributes to building leadership, improving decision-making, and advancing effective prevention globally.

Introduction – Rationale and Story Behind IEP (Rachele) (15 minutes)

• The need for investing in evidence-based prevention and the vision behind the IEP initiative by ISSUP.
• Overview of the origins, development, and objectives of IEP.
• Explanation of the core components and structure of the IEP workshop, which stem directly from this vision and rationale.

Linking Science, Policy, and Sustainable Funding (Hala) (15 minutes)

• The importance of integrating science, policy, and funding to strengthen prevention systems.
• Rationale for the target audience and the expected competencies to be developed through the IEP workshop.
• Overview of the evaluation design and participant feedback.
•  Key findings from pre- and post-assessments.
• Insights from Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and next steps.

Intended audience:

• Policy-makers and decision-makers involved in prevention, public health, education, and social welfare. 
• Prevention system funders and programme managers.
• National Chapter representatives and prevention leaders.
• Researchers and practitioners seeking to bridge science and policy in prevention.

Learning outcomes:

By attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the purpose and framework of the IEP workshop and its role in strengthening evidence-based prevention systems.

2. Recognise how evidence can inform more cost-effective and sustainable prevention investments.

3. Identify key insights and lessons learned from the IEP pilot.

4. Appreciate the importance of shared language, and cross-sector collaboration in advancing effective prevention globally.

References:

1. Universal Prevention Curriculum (UPC): Core Course for Prevention Practitioners. International Society of Substance Use Professionals. (2017)

2. European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC): A Handbook for Decision-Makers, Opinion Leaders and Policy-Makers. Lisbon: EUDA. (2019)

3. Standards of Knowledge for the Science of Prevention, Society for Prevention Research, 2011; APSI, 2019; National Prevention Science Coalition, 2019.

4. International Standards on Drug Use Prevention, UNODC, 2018

5. European Drug Prevention Quality Standards, 2011

Presenters:

Dr Rachele Donini

Dr Rachele Donini, MSC PSY, Psychologist and Psychotherapist, is based since 1995 in the Public Local Health Agency (ASL 2-Savona, Italy), Department of Mental health and addiction. After many years in both the clinical and prevention field, since 2007 she is at the head of the Drug Prevention Unit. Her current work is about drug prevention planning and implementation, project management, and European project planning.

In the last 12 years, she's been involved in several European projects aimed to improve and to disseminate the science of prevention, such as the EDPQS (European drug prevention quality standards) project, the EUPC (European prevention curriculum) project and she currently is the Scientific Coordinator of the ASAP-Training project, funded by the European Commission. She's a member of the EMCDDA’s (European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction) Advisory Board for the implementation and dissemination of the EUPC. She is certified by EMCDDA as a European trainer for EUPC.

Since 2019 she’s in EUSPR’s board of directors. In 2020 she's been awarded by EUSPR (European Society for Prevention Research) with the “Leading European Prevention Science Practitioner”  Honour. In 2021 she has been a consultant for ISSUP global in the development of the INEP Plus course and in the training of the course facilitators.

Hala Najm

Hala Najm is a registered pharmacist with a master’s degree in Public Health and a Fulbright Hubert Humphrey Fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University, United States. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education, focusing on enhancing training and capacity-building in the field of substance use.

For more than a decade, Hala has collaborated with non-profit organisations, universities, and government agencies across the Middle East and North Africa to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based programmes. Her professional journey includes working with Mentor Arabia, the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, and the International Consortium of Universities for Drug Demand Reduction (ICUDDR).

Hala holds the ICAP–Prevention credential and is a certified trainer with the European Union Drugs Agency. She is passionate about strengthening prevention systems, supporting practitioners, and expanding access to high-quality training. She currently serves as a Scientific Support Coordinator with ISSUP.

Rasha Abi Hana - Moderator

Rasha is the Scientific Support Coordinator at ISSUP Global. She has an academic background in science and holds a Diploma in Mental Health Policy and Services from NOVA Medical School in Lisbon. She is currently finalizing her PhD at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology Department, where her research focuses on mental health stigma, quality rights, and the scaling up of mental health services across diverse settings. Her work also explores digital mental health cost-effectiveness, stigma reduction, and the What Matters Most framework.

In addition to her academic work, Rasha serves as a consultant with George Washington University and supports substance use prevention programmes with UN agencies. She is a certified European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) National Master Trainer, recognised by the EUDA, and provides training for Lebanon as well as Arabic- and French-speaking countries.

Rasha is also a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Addictology. Before joining ISSUP, she served as the Service Development Coordinator for the National Mental Health Programme at the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon, where she oversaw operations of community mental health services and substance use treatment centres.

In her current role within ISSUP’s Scientific Support Team, Rasha is committed to strengthening the quality and scientific integrity of ISSUP’s services, ensuring that members and the prevention and treatment field have access to reliable, evidence-based information and support.

Webinars and online events delivered and hosted by the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) are provided for informational purposes only. They are educational in nature and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.