VERY
the help of our commissioners, we hope to run a golf day for ex and current
service users annually.
BSURF have established themselves as a completely autonomous group, with
their meeting room kindly provided by Urban Outreach in the centre of Bolton. A
weekly BSURF meeting is held which takes the form of a breakfast club, often with
games and informal chat. Every fourth meeting takes a formal business format
and BSURF is working with Bolton commissioners to maximise resources for
recovery and abstinence.
Encouragement is given to pursuing further training in recovery and mental
health awareness. Some of the members have achieved a level 2 award in
working with substance misusers, or health and social care qualifications. Many
are now moving towards the Level 3 national qualification – the management of
substance misuse, and advanced motivational interviewing courses.
By forming friendships and mutual support networks, BSURF members have
been encouraged to take opportunities that have involved growth and commitment
beyond their previous experience. This includes annual presentations to
undergraduates at the University of Manchester’s psychology department, running
workshops for local pharmacists and crown court staff, and regular involvement in
GMW team meetings and staff development.
One Saturday in November 2011, a recovery day was organised by BSURF
and had over 120 recovering people or recovery allies. It was a truly inspirational
day and involved workshops and presentations from national organisations such
as the UK Recovery Federation and the NTA as well as many local mutual aid
groups such as Bestrong, BSURF, AA, Al-Anon, NA, Harbour Project (carers),
Greater Manchester Recovery Federation, and WAVE Project (outdoor activities).
Many neighbouring boroughs have expressed interest in forming their own
groups and especially in the role of the navigators. Some BSURF members are
part of GMW Alcohol and Drugs Directorate workforce development and training
team and are involved in helping to review, develop and facilitate training for
GMW and other staff, with a view to services becoming more user friendly and
recovery focused. BSURF is working actively with the support of Bolton
commissioners to try to maximise recovery and to avoid the tragedy of relapse
– and success is proving to be contagious!
BSURF wishes to acknowledge the inspiration and encouragement of GMW’s
Stephen Maloney. You can get in touch with BSURF on 01204 544640.
Service user involvement |
Voices of recovery
July 2012 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 21
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
I HAD AN ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT DAY
in Rochdale on 22 June at a great community-
focused recovery event, which came about
because of the passion of a man called David
Dakan. David works within services but, more
importantly, he’s an activist within the
North-West recovery community who has
translated his experience of recovery into
something that touches the lives of many.
More than 200 people, in recovery and
recovering, turned out on a typical North-West day that wouldn’t stop
raining. I did a few slightly soggy workshops on the ‘five ways to
wellbeing’ in the morning and talked about the 2012 UK recovery walk,
which went down pretty well.
It was the afternoon that really blew me away. Deb Drinkwater and
Julie Stewart talked about Spiral Up CIC, a company they’ve established
recently that enables them to use their personal experience to support
parents in recovery. Mark Gilman, the NTA’s recovery lead, talked about
the power of community and mutual aid and then introduced an
incredibly inspirational talk from an amazing woman called Gina who,
in recovery, has achieved things in the field of sport that most people
wouldn't even dream of.
There was great music from David’s brother Dominic (accompanied
by friends from a local rehab) and we heard some inspirational stories
of recovery from some really impressive people, one of whom was just
18. All of them talked about the power of community and mutual aid,
the importance of services in helping them access community support
and the new sense of belonging and meaning they’d found in recovery.
And all of it was held together by David Dakan with warmth, humour,
compassion and an honesty that moved the room.
Mark Gilman said to me at one point ‘it’s getting palpable’, referring
to the potential – the strengths, assets and hope in the recovery
community – and, I believe, he was also referring to the notion of a
‘recovery movement’ that's been bouncing around for the last few years.
Travelling around the country, and attending more and more events like
the one in Rochdale, I think it’s starting to happen. A real grassroots
peer-led movement is beginning to find its voice.
The day before I was in Rochdale I was at a UKRF meeting at The
Brink in Liverpool with recovery activists from all over the UK. Some of
the planning group from the Brighton recovery walk (all of whom are in
recovery) were at the meeting and we spent time discussing the core
messages for the walk – making recovery visible, challenging stigma
and discrimination, celebrating the diverse strengths and assets within
communities and, above all, highlighting the transformative potential
of communities.
Everywhere I go I encounter people like David Dakan. They give me hope.
They are starting to come together and the recovery movement is
beginning to emerge. It is not focused on drugs or alcohol or mental health.
It is focused on recovery. Together, we will make the path as we walk it.
www.ukrf.org.uk
www.recoverywalk2012.org.uk
Alistair Sinclair is director of the UK Recovery Federation (UKRF)
VOICES OF RECOVERY
CAN YOU FEEL IT?
Watch out for the recovery movement,
says Alistair Sinclair