# Towards an understanding of community-engaged efforts in addressing the youth substance use in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

## TL;DR

This study explores community-led training programs in the DRC to prevent youth substance use and highlights the importance of collaboration and engagement.

## Contribution

The study introduces a comprehensive process map and identifies key community groups involved in youth substance use prevention.

## Key findings

- Five training centers were established to provide professional skills and prevent substance use among youth.
- Four key groups—youths, leadership team, teachers, and youth leaders—were identified as central to the process.
- Community engagement is critical for addressing youth substance use and improving training center effectiveness.

## Abstract

Youth substance use is a growing concern in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This study aims to enhance understanding of community training programs that prevent youth substance use by designing a comprehensive process map that illustrates the roles and interactions of key entities and individuals, including local churches, community workers, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). We also conducted surveys and interviews to further explore community-led programs. Five training centers have been built to help young adults gain professional skills and prevent them using substances. Our findings identified the four key groups in this process: youths, leadership team, teachers, and youth leaders. This study emphasizes the critical role of community engagement in addressing youth substance use and highlights the importance of further research opportunities for using technology to enhance training centers’ operational efficiency and impact. By addressing identified challenges, these training centers can become more effective in empowering youth and preventing substance use in the region.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25809-z.

Youth substance use drives social issues like poverty and school dropout in Aru, DRC. Community training programs provide early intervention through education and skills training to prevent young adults from turning to substance.

Process mapping was implemented to thoroughly analyze and document the workflows and activities of the community-based substance use prevention and rehabilitation programs.

This study utilized a mixed-methods design, integrating open-ended surveys and interviews for qualitative insights, followed by closed-ended surveys for quantitative analysis.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25809-z.