Again, however, I would like to put forth the idea of self-help groups based on the model of the AA or 12 step groups, which require no outside funding, have no leaders as such, and which use spare rooms in churches or community bldgs.

The 12 step groups are so effective helping people with all kinds of addictions. They don’t do the whole job, but they certainly provide low-cost help for people struggling to overcome addictions.

I am not a 12 stepper myself, but have worked with many clients who have benefitted enormously from attending these groups. Privacy and confidentiality are stressed in the groups, and people tend to take part in those groups which suit them in terms of age, intellectual and cultural criteria.

Good Luck with your efforts

Alison

The article was written in 2003 highlighting the need for stop tobacco services around the UK to cater for its diffferent communities.
We have a very successful model here for the last seven years in Tower Hamlets based on a culturally sensitive holistic approach. We have two members of staff working with respective gender groups on a drop-in basis rather than groups. Everyone is seen individually so confidentiality, cultural, religious and language expectations are met.
We did try group sessions but confidentiality issues arose with people of different age groups within a cessation group. There are different levels of respect within the culture according to age so someone who’s 50 wouldn’t want to discuss there personal issues about quitting with someone much younger.
However running several tailor made groups would require a lot of manpower and resources that our PCT won’t fund.
I like your idea of transeferring ownership to the community to support itself by running its own groups. And agian we have capacity and sustainability inititiavtives where we train people to run there own programs or refer people to our project.

Please keep in touch the blogs in its early stages and there will be more about the Bangladeshi Stop Tobacco project’s work soon. In the meantime have a look at http://www.btcp.globalink.org

Best wishes

Wouldn’t it make more sense to merely fund a program initiated and staffed by Bangladeshi men of different age groups. Obviously, they would not be open to the program being staffed by women, and as the restaraunt worker stated “If he ever joined a smoking cessation programme, Rufon Uddin would want the adviser to understand the pressures of working in an Indian takeaway or restaurant and to know what goes on in his community. “A person from a different culture wouldn’t,” he says. “But a Bangladeshi man would.”

Perhaps even a self-help group based on the Alcoholics Anonymous model would be more welcome than the perception of “the white community preaching to the Asian community” and could be supplemented by the addition of medical help available to participants who request it.