Conference: Intoxication as Risk and Challenge – New Ways of Substance Misuse Prevention (2007)
Henrik Jungaberle
Jungaberle
The closing picture of the conference shows, among others: Sabine Bätzing (SPD), then Federal Commissioner for Drugs, Queen Silvia of Sweden (then President of the Mentor Foundation International), Dr. Henrik Jungaberle (in 2007 working at the Institute of Medical Psychology at Heidelberg University Hospital), and Jerome Braun, then Managing Director of the Mentor Foundation Germany.
“Intoxication as Risk and Challenge”
The Karlsruhe Conference 2007 was the initial spark for the drug education program REBOUND
In 2007, I, Henrik Jungaberle, organized the conference “Intoxication as Risk and Challenge – New Ways of Substance Misuse Prevention” on the platform of the Institute of Medical Psychology at Heidelberg University Hospital. The conference was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Health and was co-hosted by the Mentor Foundation Germany. Under the patronage and presence of Queen Silvia of Sweden, who at the time also served as President of the Mentor Foundation International, and the then Drug Commissioner of the Federal Government, Sabine Bätzing, proposals for future drug education and prevention programs were developed.
At the time, I focused the conference on the question of how a self-responsible-centered approach to psychoactive substances could be anchored in everyday work with children and young people.
In addition to myself, speakers at the time included Dr. Joel Brown from the USA, Gerald Koller from Austria, Prof. Walter Kern from Switzerland and the then Director of the Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA), Dr. Elisbeth Pott. Prof. Dr. Klaus Hurrelmann from the Faculty of Public Health at Bielefeld University and co-responsible researcher for the famous Shell Youth Study gave the opening speech.
In 2007, the “Karlsruhe Declaration” together with speakers and participants created fruitful unrest and actually prepared “new ways”. The conference as a whole actually was a preparation for the 2010-2013 REBOUND program developed by me and my team at Heidelberg University Hospital with EU funding. From today’s perspective (2021), it can be said that REBOUND prepared a new form and style of prevention scientifically, pedagogically, and structurally. This approach is characterized by realism, authenticity, and cooperation with young people. Since the German Prevention Bill was passed by the Bundestag (2015), REBOUND has experienced rapid upward development. In 2020, I handed over the chairmanship of FINDER e.V. – the non-profit that organized the implementation of REBOUND – to my colleague and friend Maximilian von Heyden, who is now fully responsible for this area of our activities and is doing a fantastic job.
The snapshots below show participants and speakers of the conference “Rausch als Risiko und Herausforderung – Neue Wege der Suchtprävention” (2007 in Karlsruhe). These involve among others Queen Silvia of Sweden, the Federal Commissioner for Drugs Sabine Bätzing, Prof. Dr. Klaus Hurrelmann (University of Bielefeld), Prof. Dr. Rolf Verres (Institut für Medizinische Psychologie des Universitätsklinikums Heidelberg). A team of high school students had been performing scenes depicting the psychological and social challenges of using psychoactives like alcohol, cannabis, and others.
June 15th-16th, 2007
Together with colleagues, Dr. Henrik Jungaberle founded the non-profit association FINDER e.V. in 2013. Following the EU-funded development and initial evaluation, this association has further developed REBOUND and implemented it in 14 German states and Luxembourg to date. The association is currently managed by Maximilian von Heyden.
More than 1000 teachers have been trained and over 200 schools and social welfare institutions are implementing the program (as of June 2021).
FINDER has become one of the most innovative social enterprises in the Federal Republic and is currently implementing several prevention programs in cooperation with EMCDDA and BZgA, among others.
