re: volunteers and susbtance use

I do not know if there has been any research carried out in this area, but this is our charities area of interest. What stops people from volunteering in the field of drugs and substance misuse. Is it fear of the unknown; scary media stories, the public behaviour of some substance misuser's; a lack of real knowledge or understanding of the multiple complex needs issues involved with substance misuse. Or is it the multiple complex needs issues involved with substance misuse which makes it so daunting for volunteers, who may see the whole field and the issues as overwhelming and insurmountable. A lot of the people who do volunteer in our field are usually people who have had close relationships with substance misuser's and understand there are multiple complex needs issues involved and not just the substance misuse and wish to learn and understand how they can be of help to them and others. But whatever the reasons there is a need for dedicated committed volunteers in the area of drugs and substance misuse; there is also a need for professional drugs and substance misuse workers in the future. A lot of drugs and substance misuse workers I have worked with and trained over the years started out as volunteers in our field and are now fully trained and professional workers, some have remained as frontline workers as this is where they feel comfortable doing hands on work with service users and others have gone into management as they wish to be involved in creating positive changes within our field at a higher level. I feel there will always be a need for volunteers, who will eventually become professional workers in our field. DMS