Manager, South Community Recovery Network
Glasgow’s South Community Recovery Network (SCRN) made the STV news this year, highlighting the positive contribution we make to the community, following the publication of the Drug Related Deaths report for 2021 – CLICK THE PICTURE LINK BELOW TO READ THE REPORT:
The South Community Recovery Network prioritise aftercare and a ‘whole family’ approach, tailoring support for people in recovery by peers who have also recovered from addiction. The network was established just over a decade ago, with around 30 people attending a group in the Adelphi centre. During the COVID restrictions, we introduced support though virtual groups, and with these and a full timetable of in person groups, activities and the recovery cafe, we support more than 300 people every week.
As one of the founding members of the SRCN, I was one of only two volunteers in 2008 and now manage the network. I’m employed on the back of my chequered past. There was a lot of stigma because I had been in active addiction and had a criminal record, but that went through time.
Partners also now recognise lived experience as an asset rather than a hinderance and work with us rather than separately.
Aftercare services see two full-time staff connect with people as soon as they are ready to leave treatment, providing financial, medical and practical support. At the various recovery cafes, services include childcare for parents as this can often be a barrier to accessing help.
For me, it’s about connection, not solely focusing on addiction, Sometimes we are a 24-hour service. I support people and volunteers at night, the outreach support people take phone calls seven days a week, sometimes at night. My phone is never off.
We know what isn’t working, drugs deaths have been going up for years, but are now plateauing.
It is my opinion that without the recovery community in each of the cities and all the work we are doing with third sector organisations, drug deaths would be a lot higher.
The full article, including testimonies from people who are currently part of SCRN can be accessed by CLICKING THE PICTURE LINK BELOW:
The North West and the North East also have recovery networks established in Glasgow. CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE:
Glasgow City Alcohol and Drug partnership (ADP) also commissioned an evaluation of Glasgow’s recovery communities, and you can read the Independent Review of the Glasgow Recovery Communities BY CLICKING THE PICTURE LINK OR SCANNING THE QR CODE BELOW. This review included in its conclusions:
“The Recovery Communities in Glasgow have achieved a tremendous amount in a short space of time, particularly in its partnership working with education and employment services.”
“The recovery networks have been and remain a key part of the Community Justice Glasgow (CJG) landscape in terms of preventing people from coming into the justice system in the first instance through to reducing the risk that a person will re-offend by addressing the underlying drivers of their offending.
As one of our key priorities, set out in the Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan 2018 – 2023, addressing people’s health & wellbeing – including drug and alcohol misuse – is one of the levers in reducing those risks and improving personal outcomes – which in turn contribute to more positive outcomes for communities as a whole.
The CJG Partnership has long since recognised the value of peer-to-peer support in achieving better outcomes for people. This was recently explored in one of a showcase of 7 new Shared Sentences Videos for 2022. CJG commissioned Media Education to support a group of lived experience individuals to explore the breadth of work taking place in the city to reduce re-offending. You can watch the short video which explores the value of peer support / lived experience by CLICKING THE PICTURE LINK BELOW:
You can also read more about the Shared Sentence work in another article in this 2021-22 Annual Reporter by CLICKING HERE ‘Shared Sentences – An Education In Media’.
