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May 2014 |
drinkanddrugsnews
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Profile |
Ron Dougan
problems – potentially wouldn’t be as successful as those coming through the
door without those problems, that’s not the case,’ he stresses.
The organisation keeps statistics on successful tenancies – meaning the tenant
wasn’t evicted for rent arrears or anti-social behaviour – and there’s a higher rate
of successful tenancies for ex-BAC clients than people coming through ordinary
routes, ‘a really important message,’ he says. ‘These aren’t people who are going to
come into your area and start causing problems – they’re people who have had
problems in the past and come out the other end and can be a real asset to the
community. That’s what I try to get across to other housing associations.’
He’s helped in that by former clients and members of service user group RIOT
(Recovery Is Out There), who accompany him on presentations, while Trent and
Dove also actively supports RIOT’s radio station. ‘A lot of the clients are just
absolutely inspirational,’ he says. ‘They’ll go out to local schools and talk about the
dangers of addiction and go into prisons to tell people there’s a way to get off
drugs and stay off, and they can say that in a way that I never could. They’ve been
through it so they’re living proof.’
Were there any initial concerns from other Trent and Dove tenants, though? ‘I
think in the very beginning there were, and it’s understandable,’ he says. ‘People
hear stories about crime and anti-social behaviour and that sort of thing, and
initially they don’t know the people coming in so it’s understandable if they’re a bit
apprehensive. But once they saw the people and got to know them, it really turned
around. The community here is very supportive of both the work BAC does and the
people who come out of BAC. Part of that I think is Noreen [Oliver, BAC chief
executive] being so well-known and high profile, and she doesn’t make any secret
of the fact that the reason she’s doing the job is because she was in that position
herself at one time.’
A key element of success is to house people as quickly as possible once they leave
BAC, he stresses, while BAC also has its own small unit for semi-independent living.
‘It’s a sort of halfway house. While clients are in there they get in-depth guidance on
budgeting and all the things you need to do to have a successful tenancy’, and
there’s ongoing support for clients who have moved into Trent and Dove properties.
Trent and Dove has now housed well over 100 ex-BAC clients, with all but
around 2-3 per cent having successful tenancies. ‘Those I speak to are really proud
to be Trent and Dove tenants, but obviously I don’t get to meet them all,’ he says.
‘The important thing is that they’re independent and stand on their own two feet,
so the successes we don’t really get to hear about. Quite a few have moved on to
other tenancies, some outside the area, and some have gone on to buy their own
properties, which we see as a fantastic success. We don’t necessarily want people
to stay in our tenancies for ever.’
Trent and Dove also works with other treatment agencies, although the ‘main
one by far is BAC’, he says. The organisation is also closely involved in work with
Langan’s café – even sharing a chairman – a local social enterprise set up by BAC.
‘The recovery process is fantastic but if you don’t have housing and employment at
the end of it it’s not going to help the continuation of that recovery. It’s a beautiful
building, they serve fantastic food and there’s a real buzz in there – it’s really
popular with the local community. The chef, the kitchen staff and all the waiters
are people who’ve gone through BAC and the idea is that they get the experience
to put on their CV to get a permanent job – it’s a springboard.’
Some ex-BAC clients have even gone on to serve on Trent and Dove’s board, he
points out. ‘We have a board of 12 – six independent professionals and six of our
tenants, and we have a governance training qualification with Derby University
that any tenant who wants to stand for a board position has to go through. We’ve
had a number of people through BAC who’ve graduated on the governance
training and have gone on to serve on the board, which I think is probably
unknown. That’s really good. It’s more than just about housing, it’s about taking a
valuable and important role and stake in the organisation.’
Trent and Dove works closely with the local authority as well as more than 100
other statutory and voluntary agencies that provide support for ‘a myriad of
different services and needs, from mental health to mobility to alcohol, the whole
gamut’ he says. ‘The independent living team are central – it’s not just a job to
them, they’re really passionate about what they do and I think that passion is
recognised by the other agencies. It’s a fantastic thing for the local community.’
How much of an impact have the funding cuts and welfare reform of the last
few years had, however? ‘It is a challenge, but what we try to do is think of new
ways of working so we can continue to provide the vital services to those who
need them,’ he says. ‘It’s not easy but you just have to find new ways to do it.’
Ten years on, other local housing associations are now ‘more than happy’ to
take on people with substance issues, he points out. ‘We were the first. By
showing it was a success, the others are happy to take on people who’ve been
through that route.’
So what would he say to any housing providers that were still reluctant? ‘The
first thing I’d say is go and speak to housing associations who have taken this
approach. If any housing association wanted to come and see the work on the
ground we’d be pleased for them to do it – one of the things we’ve been doing
with BAC is helping them persuade other councils outside of East Staffordshire to
take this approach.
‘Come and see the work that goes on, and the inspirational impact that
organisations like BAC can have. That’s what convinced me, and I’m sure it would
convince others.’
Ron Dougan will be speaking about the vital role of housing in recovery at the
Recovery Festival, which takes place in London on 1-2 July. Details at
www.recoveryfestival.org.uk
‘Come and see the work
that goes on, and the
inspirational impact
that organisations like
BAC can have.
That’s what convinced
me, and I’m sure it
would convince others.’