UNODC Trains Team of National Trainers from Kyrgyzstan within the Advanced Level of the Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders
The UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia supported a training of trainers (ToT) on the Course 11 “Enhancing Motivational Interviewing Skills”. This course is part of the Advanced Level of the Universal Treatment Curriculum for Substance Use Disorders (UTC training package) for national trainers from Kyrgyzstan which took place in person in Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan on 13-17 September 2021. This training was organized within the framework of UNODC global project GLOJ71 “Treating drug dependence and its health consequences: Treatnet” in collaboration with Sub-programme 3: Drug prevention, treatment and reintegration and HIV prevention of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia for 2015-2021 and Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, UNODC HQ with financial support from U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
Ten (10) members of national team of trainers from Kyrgyzstan took part in the training. The main objectives of this training were to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of motivational interviewing (MI) on a continuum of recovery-oriented interventions and to present ways of integrating MI techniques into a comprehensive system of treatment and care.
During the training, regional master trainers explained the “spirit” of MI, its key elements and concepts, described the guiding principles, illustrated ways to respond to client’s change talks, and demonstrated the MI strategies and techniques.
“The training is vitally important for me. Next week I will conduct the training for the OST (opioid substitution therapy) doctors. Within OST there is a problem in patient retention. And qualified motivational interviewing skills have a big impact on it. In general, I liked the delivery of the information which is focused more on practical skills,” says Aizada Usenakunova, Medical Consultant and M&E Specialist of the Republican Narcology Center.
“I have five years’ experience of attending the UTC training series. Participating in this training is such a gift for me as it contributes to my personal development and professional growth. The information shared by trainers is so unique and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this training,” says Elmira Kalieva, Narcologist of the Republican Narcology Center.
“After completing each UTC course, inside there is a transformation of the inner ego, awareness and reassessment of values and beliefs in life. One such course is Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI can be performed with anyone anywhere and in any situation. In can be done by anyone who learns MI skills. The main thing that I liked was to move intuitively on my own towards the purposefulness of behavior change, flexibility using the MI’s core interviewing skills” says Anara Tostokova, Narcologist of Republican Narcology Center.