The term “community” refers to a space where effective preventive systems can be developed and applied. Community is generally based on a sense of connection, identity and trust. One of the fundamental reasons for establishing effective community implementation systems is to increase the likelihood that the target population will experience direct benefit from evidence-based preventive interventions. Another reason is that an effective implementation system enables the establishment of multiple, comprehensive and integrated prevention, and even early treatment services for a specific populations, vulnerable groups and individuals. The role of the local community in the prevention of addiction is to bring effective strategies and policies that enable people to live healthily lives. Effective preventive interventions are based on a good knowledge and understanding of the nature and extent of the use of psychoactive substances in a particular community.

National and international groups, as well as government organizations may support the use of evidence-based interventions, but they are still not widely implemented. Some of the reasons lie in the challenges faced by policymakers and the environment in the communities themselves. In addition to barriers at the local level, in the community environment, effective evidence-based interventions can be hindered by policies, various funding decisions and established inefficient practices and other factors.

Since 2002, the Addiction Prevention Competence Centre has been implementing the Older Brother, Older Sister mentoring program, which pairs a volunteer (older brother/sister) with a child (younger brother/sister) with the aim of developing a quality, caring, and supportive relationship. This goal is achieved through two approaches: the work of the volunteer with the child and the work of an expert with the volunteer.

Boombar is a project intended for high school students in their free time. Boombar is a mobile non-alcoholic cocktail bar that offers a safe environment for children and young people to socialize and healthy alcohol-free alternatives.