Aims and objectives

Our vision is that people and communities no longer experience harms related to addictive products and behaviours.

Our mission is to advance the scientific understanding of addictive products and behaviours and the use of this knowledge in policy and practice.

People

We aim to increase the number, visibility, influence, and skills of people who contribute to addiction science, policy, and practice through funding research, education, networking, and other professional development opportunities.

Science

We aim to advance the scientific understanding of addictive products and behaviours through funding, publishing, communicating, debating, and disseminating research findings and showcasing best practice.

Policy and practice

We aim to promote evidence-based local, national, and international policy and practice on addictive products and behaviours through wider stakeholder communications that integrate the views of people with lived experience.

Business as usual

1. We will support Addiction and Addiction Biology to ensure they publish high quality research that contributes to the advancement of addiction science.

2. We will fund at least two new PhD students, one new fellowship, approximately 30 bursaries for undergraduate and master’s degrees, and award two academic prizes each year to support people working in addiction studies.

3. We will host a two-day Annual Conference for researchers, policymakers, treatment providers, and people with lived experience of addiction, preceded by a one-day PhD Symposium for PhD students to present and discuss their work.

4. We will maintain and develop member and public communications, including the website, newsletter and social media content to share SSA news and opportunities and provide a platform for discussion of advances in the understanding of addiction.

Transformation

5. We will identify and develop new and better ways of furthering the Society’s mission through:

• establishing an innovations committee
• conducting a survey of our members and associates by the end of 2024 in order to better understand their needs, skills, and interests to enable the Society to improve its offering and increase engagement and income
• developing a calendar of events to ensure that the Society provides opportunities for members across the UK and throughout the year (facilitating a minimum of four events a year in diverse UK geographical locations)
• implementing a process to monitor and evaluate the Society’s activities to ensure they are high quality, promote equality, diversity and inclusion, and contribute to the Society’s strategic aims

6. We will explore the implications, costs, and benefits of the Society providing evidence-based training for people who work in addiction treatment services, with a view to implementing recommendations by the end of 2026.

7. By 2027 we will build a community across disciplines and professions, including alumni who have completed funded SSA schemes, to support scientific learning and collaboration.

Capacity and capability

8. By 2025, we will increase engagement with people with lived experience of addiction, which will include appointing a lived experience lead who will report to the Board of Trustees, producing a strategic document outlining our commitment, and developing and maintaining a network of at least 30 people with lived experience.

9. We will maintain ongoing review and improvement of the Society’s governance, including to ensure that policies and procedures support the Society’s strategic aims.