A much celebrated event in DHI’s diary, this year was no exception. Taking place at the

Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution on 25th November 2014, the event focused on the role of service users providing support to their peers as well as celebrating the enormous efforts of its staff and volunteers.

DHI’s Bristol Peer Support Service took centre stage with Chris Hodder, ROADS Peer Supporter, sharing his story and giving an insight into what the Peer training and placement through DHI has meant to him and his recovery.

As ever, the Client Achievement Awards were announced to rapturous applause from the

audience, with the Team Award going to Out of the Shadows, DHI’s theatre group, for their creative collaboration with the Natural Theatre Company as part of the Bath Fringe.

Darren King, who had struggled with problematic alcohol use

since his teens, was awarded the Contribution to the Community Award. Homeless when he managed to complete a community detox with the support of his GP and DHI, Darren has turned his life around, becoming a Peer

DHI FriendsDHI Friends newsletter #7 Spring 2015 www.dhi-online.org.uk

“Boxer David Haye backs DHI’s work around legal highs”

SPACED, page 4

Inside this issue: A word from our CEO 2 / Legal Highs 4 / Project 28 tackle anti-social behaviour 5 / Woodworks Project 6 / Donate 7 / News in brief 8

Annual Event 2014: Peer Perspectives

Continued on page 3 …

“People have a moment when it clicks”

The Woodworks Project, page 6

The Out the Shadows team treated us to a brief and thoroughly entertaining performance, based on their successful collaboration with The Natural Theatre Company, once more donning their Georgian regalia.

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I seem to have had Maslow’s hierarchy tattooed to the insides of my irises ever since secondary school and his basic argument

that people can’t attain their potential (and contribute positively to society) if basic needs for food, warmth and shelter aren’t met. For any criticisms there may be of Maslow 70 years on, this makes much sense to me. Decent affordable housing and support for our most vulnerable are essential, and for all the spending we put into health, all evidence shows that outcomes will be poor if basic needs for housing are not addressed.

Given this it worries and perplexes me that housing is such an easy target for cuts. During the last couple of months, DHI has been notified of funding withdrawals from housing support services for

vulnerable people in both Wiltshire and Somerset, despite the excellent outcomes achieved. At the same time, Drugscope’s State of the Sector Report showed that workers identified housing as the biggest gap in provision, along with support for those with a dual diagnosis.

At our previous Annual Event, Dr Phil Hammond used a metaphor for our health and social care system – that of a stream, where increasingly bodies float down the stream. We dive in deeper and deeper to pull them out again and again and spend so much time pulling them out of the deep end that nobody ever wanders up stream to see if somebody is pushing them in! It seems to me that this is precisely what’s happening when we desert vulnerable people with housing needs at a time when we have a growing housing crisis.

A word from the CEO

DHI welcomes …

Clearly we need to shout louder about the absolutely essential link between housing and outcomes for health, crime, education, employment … and just about everything else that matters

We are delighted to welcome Anne Welch to DHI. As Corporate Services Director Anne is responsible for the organisation’s operational infrastructure, covering services including HR, IT and PR. Anne trained as an accountant with KPMG, subsequently working in medium sized businesses across a number of sectors including retail, telecoms and economic consultancy. Anne’s personal

values are in line with DHI’s; self-direction being key to personal growth; “this makes sense to me as the way for people to make the best of their abilities, to increase output and for each individual’s sense of worth and fulfilment.”

Anne explains the attraction of DHI “… a great team of people and clarity of vision and values. I’m looking forward to working with the central services team

to provide an efficient and effective operational structure to support these aims.”

You can reach Anne at: annewelch@dhibath.org.uk

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supporter and working voluntarily at a homelessness hostel in Bristol and running a social drop-in on Saturdays for people in recovery.

Damian Vaughan and Jamie Floyd were joint winners of the Dave Miel Personal Achievement Award. Jamie was a poly drug user for 24 years. At one of his lowest points Jamie lived in his dealer’s garden shed. In his recovery, Jamie has thrown himself into activities, promoting DHI’s many services, varnishing garden furniture at the Warmley Treatment Centre and helping to relaunch the

‘bike maintenance project’.

Jamie told us that being nominated in itself was a “huge confidence boost” and winning was

“terrifying”! His cycle ride from Bristol to Land’s End – appalling weather to boot – raised £350 for DHI, but that hasn’t put Jamie off as he’s just signed up for another fundraising ride of twice the distance. Watch this space!

Finally, Damian Vaughan delivered a rousing speech on the quality of life he is now able to enjoy and what the award recognition means to him. Damian was referred to DHI’s Swindon Support Planning and Direct Payments Service as a result of having severe epilepsy.

At the point he was referred he so crippled by anxiety and depression that he felt his “wings were clipped” as options seemed so limited. Damian’s Personal Support Plan

had a built in budget that enabled Damian to choose his own Personal Assistants and decide how they support him.

Damian feels empowered by his educational accomplishments and the improved quality of life he is able to enjoy. He is now training with DHI as a peer to support others in a similar situation. Damian tells DHI Friends that he was shocked at being nominated, but the experience

“made me hold my chin up high. It’s amazing to know it’s actually possible to know you can do something in life and get somewhere.”

Continued from front cover Annual Event 2014: Peer Perspectives

“At the Annual Event I met people who had previously plunged into seemingly hopeless addictions from which there appeared no return until, with the help of DHI, they were able to return to normal productive lives”Councillor Vic Pritchard

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SPACED (Stimulant, Psycho-active, Alternative, Club, Experimental Drugs) aims to improve people’s

awareness in order to reduce harm and direct those who need support to treatment services. SPACED also covers more traditional party drugs such as cocaine, MDMA and amphetamines.

In addition to supporting local people with advice and signposting for treatment services, the SPACED team are ensuring that they are interacting with their target market at a variety of public places including night clubs. One Kingswood nightclub, Chasers, has been so receptive when it comes to raising awareness amongst their clients that the staff uniform now boasts the SPACED logo. Evidence suggests that NPS use can be more prevalent in rural/non-urban communities such as South Gloucestershire and therefore the SPACED project is vital in ensuring that local communities in the area are not disproportionately affected by NPS in terms of health life expectancy.

Our approach builds on the existing evidence

around NPS which highlights that NPS users differ significantly from more traditional users of treatment services.

For example the National Treatment Agency highlight that: “unlike typical

heroin and crack users, they (users) often have … good personal resources

– jobs, relationships, accommodation …most over 18 club drug users are relatively young, whereas the heroin and crack users in treatment are getting older” (NTA, 2012).

“People don’t really know what they are taking and neither do we know the full extent of the long-term effects. People really are gambling with their lives when they use these drugs. We are keen to move away from the legal high tag. As it suggests a benign drug, when in fact legal does not mean safe.”

Natasha Novel Psychoactive Substance Co-ordinator for SPACED

Legal highsSPACED is a newly launched pilot service supporting those who are using NPS (Novel Psychoactive Substances, also known as legal highs) funded by Safer South Gloucestershire.

David Haye (centre) at Chasers Nightclub lending support to the campaign

Project 28 tackle anti-social behaviour in Keynsham

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Police have seen a vast reduction in the number of anti-social call outs in the last year since working

alongside Project 28 to minimise anti-social behaviour among a targeted group within the Keynsham community. Project 28 is DHI’s Young People’s drug and alcohol treatment service in B&NES. Teenagers who had been hanging around at the bandstand of the Keynsham memorial park became involved by painting up car tyres for a flower garden they created at the entrance of Wyvale Garden

Centre and other useful community works.

Engaging young people in meaningful occupation is essential to progress, but this starts by building a rapport with them and delivering a ‘street-based service’. Jess Elmer from Project 28 explains: “First we make connect with the young people and build up trust. They know the service is confidential and that we don’t judge, so they can be honest. In return we provide boundaries but also a sense of fun so the young people can relate to us”.

“ Their approach has been flexible, dropping everything to focus on any problematic areas. In one case, Project 28 alerted us to an anti-social behaviour hot spot that wasn’t yet on our radar. Early intervention works.”

Tim HarrisB&NES Antisocial Behaviour Manager

l Alice’s background is all too familiar; a dysfunctional family life where drug/alcohol abuse has been normalised and police were concerned about Alice’s antisocial behaviour and crimes such as bullying, theft of a car and vandalism. Even when Alice wasn’t committing fresh crimes, she’d breach her YRO which would mean another

6 months of monitoring and Community Service.

Project 28 staff built up a relationship with Alice and found out about her interests which then laid a foundation for Alice’s change in attitude and willingness to learn.

Intelligence Reports on Alice

fell from 114 in one year to just 2 during the time of liaising with our services. Alice enthusiastically joined in with the project at the garden centre and is about to embark on a painting and decorating course at college. Alice has been ‘6 days abstinent from marijuana’ at the time of going to press, another first in her life as a young adult.

Alice’s story Prior to engaging with the police antisocial behaviour team and Project 28, 19 year old Alice couldn’t recall a time in her teenage life without being on a Youth Referral Order, which entails reporting to the Youth Referral Panel regularly.

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Ben, a DHI client, was homeless and addicted to heroin. Although progressing with his

treatment, Ben felt he wasn’t doing enough to see the progression he wanted and craved routine and productivity in his life. Ben tentatively went along to his first Woodworks session and

‘immediately had a lot of respect for the skill and the beautiful wood types’. Ben admits that turning up promptly three days a week was a big shock to the system, however boundaries were in place and this allowed him to escape his chaotic lifestyle. ‘It calmed me down, levelled me, knowing I was learning skills that people have honed over hundreds of years’. For Ben, the personal gain was enormous, but the fact that he was part of ‘doing something for the greater good, touched me and instantly made me change my ways’. Ben has thrown himself in wholeheartedly and now volunteers for TWP, enjoying the team work and camaraderie whilst doing deliveries and collections of antique furniture. Byll of TWP explains his

approach is about ‘attitude’ and knowing where the fine line is of ‘encouraging someone to have a go, but not so that they’re too stressed by it’. Ben says that alongside the practical work

‘people talk about their lives, their challenges.’ For Ben this may be a career avenue, as he has achieved support from DHI and TWP to begin a carpentry college course.

For more info:www.thewoodworksproject.com or 01225 435566 or visit their beautifully styled shop on Southgate Street, a few minutes from the bus station.

Talking to…Byll Pulman who runs Bath charity The Woodworks Project alongside Stephen Budd, one can’t fail to be caught up in his enthusiasm for teaching ‘parallel life skills’ to his students.

Main image: Ben working under Byll’s guidance. Inset: Beautiful craftsmanship from The Woodworks Project

I can usually tell how someone will approach woodwork just by the way they stand next to a piece of wood and people have a moment when it just clicks – and that can give me a lump in the throatByll Pulman

Thank you so much for all that you do to support DHIAs a charity we could not continue to offer our services without donations from our supporters. Please go to the link below to donate. You can also use this link to raise funds for us through a fun activity of your own choice.

Your donation supports a variety of projects including: support for peer run activities such as the fishing club, art groups and Off the Wall magazine, deposits for private accommodation or street work with the homeless. Thank you!

Please donate here: www.justgiving.com/dhi/

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Issue 7 DHI Friends

WANTED: Volunteers for new Social Prescribing service

Launching this April, My Script is an exciting new service, funded by B&NES CCG, to provide social prescribing across all 27 GP practices in the area. Our team of staff and volunteers will support patients to address the personal or social issues that may be negatively impacting their health (such as debt, isolation, housing, family, depression, etc) by signposting and encouraging them to engage with relevant local services, groups, or social activities.

So if you’re interested in giving up a few hours a week to make a real difference in your community please contact volunteers@dhi-online.org.uk

my script

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News in briefThe Beehive announce newly qualified Peer Mentors for 2015Congratulations to the 6 clients who’ve completed their training as Peer Mentors. A graduation ceremony was held on February 11th in recognition of their achievements. The new Peer Mentors will volunteer at the Beehive in group and 1 to 1 sessions, sharing their experiences and mentoring other clients through their recovery journey. They will also volunteer at the Royal United Hospital to support those who are experiencing addiction, encouraging them to access DHI’s services.

RSVP (Resolve to Stop the Violence Programme) DHI will be launching RSVP in Bristol in April in partnership with Victim Support. Our programme will support male perpetrators of domestic abuse who voluntarily seek help to change their abusive behaviours. The programme offers one-to-one pattern changing behaviour sessions and will support perpetrators to gain personal insight, to be accountable and to develop new (non violent) ways of communicating.

Gearing up for Personal Health BudgetsDHI has been chosen by NHS England to take part in a pilot programme to increase the take up of Personal Health Budgets. A PHB is a pot of money awarded to an individual who has complex or enduring health needs relating to a disability or long term health condition. Patients eligible for a PHB can now receive it as a cash

award and DHI will be working with local health colleagues to show how this money can be used to deliver more holistic and creative care plans which empower clients to take greater control of their health and wellbeing.

Somerset service closuresIt is with sadness we announce the closure of two highly-regarded DHI services in March. The Family Focus service, part of the national Troubled Families programme, has been operating in Mendip and Sedgemoor since 2013 and has been highly effective in supporting families with multiple/complex needs to access services and turn their lives around.

The Families Floating Support service has also delivered fantastic outcomes supporting families in housing need. We would like to extend sincere thanks to the respective staff teams for all their efforts and hard work.

Social Justice Champion Award

Rosie Phillips (DHI CEO) won a prestigious Social Justice Champion Award on 18th November 2014. The award recognises the work of individuals and organisations who are helping to build a more just society by empowering people from disadvantaged backgrounds to take personal responsibility for improving their lives. Rosie received her award at a ceremony in London, presented by Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Chair of the Social Justice Cabinet Committee.

Rosie Phillips receives her Social Justice Award from Iain Duncan Smith

Don’t miss our Reach Out Conference

Thursday, 11th June at 2:30 – 8.30m, Fry ’s Conference Centre, Keynsham. Save the date! To book: events@dhibath.org.uk