Volunteers, even those with lived experience using drugs, always need training. Volunteer training in harm reduction varies from very minimal (less than 5 hours) to very long (120 hours) and there are many ways to provide training at an SSP. The bare-bones minimum basics that every SSP must train all staff on includes:

• Universal Precautions and site safety
• De-escalation
• Program policies and procedures
• Participant privacy and confidentiality

It should be emphasized that this is the very minimum that SSP personnel should have. Just doing the bare minimum is usually inadequate. Most people, even those with lived experience, will need further training in:

• Harm Reduction
• Outreach
• Models of Behavior Change
• Cultural Competency for SSP Participants
• Safer Drug Use
• Overdose Prevention and Response
• Safer Sex Work
• Trauma
  And more…

Training can be achieved in a variety of ways including relying on national or regional technical assistance providers, hiring outside trainers, or creating and providing training “in-house”.