New Year Honours Special

NetworkNew Year Honours Edition

On Jan 25th 2013 we celebrated the achievements of our staff, volunteers and partner organisations at our annual

awards ceremony at City Hall, London.

I have very great pleasure in welcoming you to Phoenix Futures’ New Year Honours, the annual awards ceremony for our staff and volunteers to celebrate their achievements, commitment and successes. As Vice Chair of Phoenix Futures’ Board I would firstly like to give you apologies from Mark Haysom, our Chair, who is unable to attend today. However I am very pleased to be here in

his place to welcome you to our fifth New Year Honours ceremony and the fourth to be held at this wonderful location. Our thanks go to the Mayor of London and his staff for making it available to us.

As always the nominations for these awards are made by our staff across the whole organisation. At Phoenix Futures we have always been proud of being an organisation that has recovery at its heart and recovery remains a key element in each of the designated award categories. This year we would also like to recognise the additional components to our service provision, some of which fall under the Phoenix Plus banner which add value to service provision, assist in increasing an individual’s recovery capital and help Phoenix Futures maintain its unique position in the field of recovery services

A key to maintaining this position is the value we place in our people: our staff, our volunteers and our service users, who are at the centre of everything we do. We believe it is essential that we recognise and acknowledge the important contribution that you have all made to the organisation.

I would also like to thank the judging panel for undertaking the difficult and unenviable task of selecting the finalists and winners from the large number of nominations we received and an even harder job I am sure of keeping the details of the winners a secret. I am so pleased that so many members of the judging panel are here today and on behalf of Phoenix Futures I would like to thank them for all their hard work.

All the nominations we received provided evidence of the great work that is happening across the whole organisation: from the contribution made by individual staff members and volunteers, to the exceptional team working and the effective partnerships that enable us to do more together for our service users and local communities.

You should all be very proud that you have been selected as finalists, congratulations to you all.

Sarah ThewlisVice Chair

Vice Chair’s Welcome Speech

www.phoenix-futures.org.uk

Award Categories 2013

Phoenix Plus Housing AwardEnsuring safe and appropriate housing is accessible to our service users is essential to helping them maintain their recovery.

Phoenix Plus Family and Carers AwardRecognising the impact addiction has on the family and carers of our service users and providing effective support is a crucial part of our work.

Phoenix Plus Education and Employability AwardCreating opportunities for service users to increase skills and employability is key to enabling them to lead productive lives.

Phoenix Plus Community AwardOpening our services to the wider communities in which we operate enables us to educate others about the importance of the work we do.

Recovery Innovation Award Innovation comes in many forms, our willingness to explore and implement new ways of working is a key strength.

Volunteer AwardOur volunteers make a real difference by dedicating their time and skills to support recovery.

Impact AwardSelected by those services scoring highest on our quality measurement score card.

Resource Management AwardMaking the most of our resources is essential to make the biggest impact we can possibly make.

Recovery in Partnership Award Partnership working is key to delivering outstanding recovery services which benefit communities.

Executive Team Outstanding Achievement AwardTo the person or project that has made an outstanding contribution to the benefit of Phoenix Futures’ services users in 2012.

Chief Executive’s Recovery Icon AwardThis award was announced on the day and presented to the person who had embodied the spirit and philosophy of Phoenix Futures in 2012.


And the winners are...


Phoenix Plus Housing AwardEnsuring safe and appropriate housing is accessible to our service

users is essential to helping them maintain their recovery.

Phoenix Futures has always believed that housing is the glue that holds all the other treatment compo-nents together. We therefore place great emphasis on establishing effective links with housing provid-ers to ensure that our service users have safe and affordable homes providing the foundation for their continuing recovery.

We were therefore delighted to present this award which is to the person or team that has developed an effective working partnership to deliver secure accommodation for our service users

The finalists were:

Winner:

Sheffield Accomodation Team

Making Moves Supported Housing Team – GlasgowFor developing effective partnership working with housing associations such as North Glasgow Housing, Queens Cross Housing Association, Hamish Allan Centre and North Glasgow Casework Team. The team have also worked with other agencies to help support service users with affordable options to decorate and furnish their new homes in order to maximise sustainable tenancy and maintain recovery.

Sheffield Accommodation TeamFor providing a range of accommodation solutions in Sheffield. Working in an effective partnership with local housing providers such as Sheffield Homes and Sanctuary Housing and developing new service user qualifications.

Kevan Critchley – Barnsley Housing Liaison OfficerOver the last year Kevan has worked with over 180 people – in 13 cases homelessness was prevented. 33 individuals were permanently rehoused, 4 were temporarily rehoused, 37 individuals were given advice that resulted in an improvement in their housing situation and 35 were supported with direct referrals to landlords or housing providers.


Phoenix Plus Family and Carers AwardRecognising the impact addiction has on the family and carers of our service users and providing effective support is a crucial part of our

work.

Drug and alcohol misuse can have a devastating effect on Families and Carers. Phoenix Futures is aware of the importance of supporting families and carers and the benefit to individual service users of including them in the recovery process.

We were therefore pleased to be able to present this award to the person or team that has developed an effective process to involve and support families and carers in the furtherance of an individual’s recovery.

The Finalists were:

Winner:

Patrycja Krzeszewska

Juliet Hutchinson, Representing Family Support Service – London PrisonsFamily Support Service have been developed at HMP Brixton, Holloway, Pentonville, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs. Common feedback from the family members we support is “you know, that’s the first time someone’s asked me how I am feeling”

John Taylor – HMP PentonvilleJohn set up the family service at HMP Pentonville, establishing positive links within the community and embedded the service within the prison and community at large.

Patrycja Krzeszewska – Family Support Worker HMP HollowayPatrycja has established good links within the prison and the prison service managers and governors. She provides excellent support for vulnerable women at HMP Holloway. She has been providing dedicated telephone support three times a week to a mother of a prisoner with a speech and mobility difficulties.


Phoenix Plus Education and Employability AwardCreating opportunities for service users to increase skills and employability is key to enabling them to lead productive lives

Education and Employment are key elements towards the continued success of an individual’s recovery and we have made some major steps over the last 12 months in enabling access to education and employment for our service users.

We were delighted to be able to present this award to the person or team that has supported recovery through a project or service focused on creating education and employment opportunities for our service users.

The finalists were:

Winner:

Bath Street Recovery Hub

Alison Royal - Learning and Development TeamAlison does fantastic work developing our amazingly successful service user qualifications. Through her dedicated approach she continues to develop more and more choice for service users to ensure we can offer a relevant qualification for everyone.

Bath Street Recovery Hub - GlasgowAmongst a wide range of initiatives the team have brought college tutors into the service to help service users with numeracy and literacy and Steps to Excellence. Further development opportunities are available through SQA accredited courses such as Sociology, Psychology and Health and Wellbeing. What’s more they have broken down barriers that previously hindered service user on prescribed medication from accessing college or employment courses. Outcomes have been enormous with service users now in employment in the social care field, beauty therapists, conservation work, administration and sports.

Paul Hammond – Work Programme Project Manager Paul leads our involvement with the Ingeus Work Programme where we work with those people with drug and alcohol problems. Paul has promoted the service so successfully we are able to employ more staff to meet the need for our services. Paul’s passion and commitment to making this service effective has enabled us to make contact with a whole new group of potential service users.


Phoenix Plus Community AwardOpening our services to the wider communities in which we operate

enables us to educate others about the importance of the work we do.

At Phoenix Futures we are proud of our efforts to engage local communities in order to achieve recovery for our service users and help create safer more understanding communities. Recovery does not happen in isolation so it is important that all our services reach out and become an integral part of their community.

We were therefore delighted to present this award which is for the person or team that has excelled in positively representing Phoenix Futures and promoting recovery within their local community.

The finalists were:

Winner:

HMP Channings Wood

HMP Channings WoodAs well as holding graduation ceremonies and family visit days open to prison and probation staff, NHS Managers and resident’s family. The team have hit the road to improve understanding of the TC model to prison staff and potential clients around the UK.

Residential Management GroupThe commitment, passion and leadership of the management team has increased utilisation of services and our residential services are going from strength to strength. Our growing visible recovery communities situated around the residential service itself are evidence of this.

Paul Garlick – Sheffield Community TeamPaul volunteers for the Sheffield Adult Service and the Community Team. He helps residents go out into the community to find voluntary work and further education. This has enables service users to do constructive things in their free time which is an important step in the recovery journey.


Recovery Innovation Award Innovation comes in many forms, our willingness to explore and

implement new ways of working is a key strength.Winner:

HMP Channings Wood

It is over 40 years since Phoenix Futures introduced a new and radical approach to treatment for substance users. Since then we have continued to innovate by delivering new initiatives and developing new more person-focused services. We recognise the need to meet the challenges of a constantly changing world and the needs of our service users and the communities from which they come.

We were therefore very pleased to present this award which is to the person or team that has put forward a new initiative to support an individual or a group in their recovery

The finalists are:

NW Prisons TeamThe team have designed and implemented Phoenix Futures Therapeutic Community Programme in the Prison TCs and delivered a Facilitator Training Package. This has been a huge piece of work that is benefitting the residents by providing a more person centred approach and give them the treatment that they need.

Therapeutic Community Team – HMP Channings WoodThis year Health and Safety reps arrange a Health and Wellbeing week for clients. Working in partnership with Prison Health Care, Hepatitis C Trust, Harm Minimisation, the Chaplaincy and Alcoholics Anonymous to create a week packed with activities focused on improving understanding of smoking, healthy eating, personal hygiene, blood borne viruses and exercise.

Quality Department For constantly seeking new ways to improve the quality of the services we offer. The team have introduced mystery shopping, created a new Customer Relationship Management strategy, improved accessibility of contacting a service and even promoted excellence with an ‘eggsellence’ project involving a competition to drop eggs without breaking them.


Volunteer AwardOur volunteers make a real difference by dedicating their time and

skills to support recovery.Winner:

Julie Green

We recognise and very much appreciate the dedication of all our volunteers. I’m told the judging panel found this to be one of the hardest categories as all our volunteers make an important contribution, they all deserve recognition for dedicating their time and efforts to support our work..

This award recognises one of the many volunteers who have made a real difference by dedicating their time and skills to help us in our work and support recovery.

The finalists were:

HR Volunteers – Human Resources DepartmentShoma and Marzena are key members of the team. After another busy year they remain committed, enthusiastic, helpful and friendly. They are an asset to us and we appreciate their hard work and dedication.

Julie Green – Recovery Navigation Team BarnsleyJulie supports the in a range of ways by encouraging service users to engage with services, promoting recovery groups, providing admin support and fundraising. She does it with a smile and lifts the mood of those service users new to treatment.

Steven Farrell – Sheffield Residential ServiceSteven has been volunteering for over 8 months at our Sheffield Adult Service. He runs TC workshops every week and is always on hand to offer support wherever needed.



Impact AwardSelected by those services scoring highest on our quality

measurement score card.Winner:

Trafford Recovery Abstinence (Aftercare)

We strive to deliver effective and caring services that make a lasting impact on our service users and their communities. It is difficult to maintain the highest standards when faced with the day to day challenges and the multiple demands that come with providing our services. It is only possible to so this with highly committed staff that go the extra mile.

We were therefore very pleased to be able present this award which is to the person or team that has made a significant, measurable improvement to service provision.

Compliments and complaints were collected from services across the organisation. Audits were taken out and surveys completed. The results were then recorded on a scorecard with an overall score given to every service measuring its effectiveness between 1st November 2011 and 31st October 2012

The Finalists were:

Trafford Recovery Abstinence AftercareOverall Score 4.83

Birmingham Community OutreachOverall Score 4.75

Wirral CommunityOverall Score 4.75

Resource Management AwardMaking the most of our resources is essential to make the biggest

impact we can possibly make.

The challenge of the current financial climate and a highly competitive operational environment, has meant that we all need to go the extra mile to make our human and financial resources go further than ever..

Throughout our organisation many people have led by example by demonstrating their awareness of the need to change what we do in order to maintain viable services and so help as many people as possible.

I am therefore very pleased to be able to present this award which is for the person or team that has made a significant contribution through outstanding and innovative management of resources.

The finalists were:

Winner:

Diane Hilton - Representing Residential Services

Kirstan Butler – Finance TeamProviding crucial financial support to all our services, she has been described as “invaluable” by Service Managers

Abi Hamoodi – NE PrisonsConstantly seeking way to improve NE prison services. Abi is a great example of problem solving and driving ever greater effectiveness.

Diane Hilton – Representing Residential ServicesDi has led a team that managed great change and in doing so created a bright future for residential services.


Recovery in Partnership Award Partnership working is key to delivering outstanding recovery services

which benefit communitiesWinner:

NHS Islington, HMP’s Holloway and Pentonville

We are delighted to introduce this Recovery Partnership Award which is given to the person or team at Phoenix Futures that has developed an effective working partnership to deliver outstanding recovery services which benefit their community. :Working with partners is crucial not just for us as an organisation but more importantly for meeting our service users wide range of needs. We are fortunate to work with a range of partners including other vol-untary organisations, Drug and Alcohol Action Teams, local health authorities and local councils to make just a few. Partnership working can help us deliver truly person-focused services that provide integrated pathways to recovery .

The finalists were:

NHS Islington, HMP’s Holloway and PentonvilleThis partnership has proactively worked together to deliver the new, innovative Building Futures programme. This is a truly responsive service provision for prisoners who really need it.

Kate Kempthorne – Park House BirminghamKate has brought professionalism and structure to Park House’s excellent partnership with Changes. Changes is a dry house who provide accommodation to those abstinent for 4 weeks. Through the partnership Changes have now opened a ‘1 week abstinent’ house for whom we provide a day programme for until the 4 week point.

Brenda Crossley (Represented by Julie Sutton) – Barnsley Recovery Navigation ServiceBrenda radiates warm and genuineness. She has worked with prescribing services and other agencies every week to exchange referrals and coordinate their approach. She has helped create a truly joined up service that puts the needs of the service user first.


Winner:

Voyage of Recovery 2012

Executive Team Outstanding Achievement AwardWe are delighted to announce that this year’s award was presented the project team behind Voyage of Recovery 2012. Over 100 service

users, staff and graduates took part in this life changing adventure to sail around Britain spreading the new that recovery is possible and is

happening right now.

The partnership between Phoenix Futures, the Island Trust and Tectona Trust that made last year’s Voyage of Recovery happen has taken imagination, perseverance and the willingness by all concerned to face new challenges.

The partnership behind the Voyage has generated a range of benefits:

Sailing over 1,500 miles around the coastal waters of Britain is a feat in itself, however the voyage has also created a new and challenging therapeutic environment onboard the Tectona. 87 individual service users from around the country, as well as graduates and staff have been given a life changing experience.

The voyage has raised the profile of each of the partners and promoted the cause of recovery around the country.

The Voyage has even had a positive impact on the way people with drug and alcohol problems are perceived in local communities. Fundraising activities such as bag packing at supermarkets and car washing outside services, have helped break down the barriers between services and communities.

A research programme is currently underway with the University of Exeter that will study the impact of this unique recovery adventure and hopefully inspire others to think differently. What’s more, the voyage had raised our expectations of what can achieved when we work with others and set our sights high.

By combining their skills, expertise and resources the partnership between Phoenix Futures, the Tectona Trust and the Island Trust has created something very special that is greater than its individual parts: each organisation and individual involved has truly become a part of the whole with a share in its purpose.

That is why this year’s Executive Team Outstanding Achievement Award goes to the Voyage of Recovery.


Chief Executive’s Recovery Icon AwardThis award will be announced on the day and presented to the person

who has embodied the spirit and philosophy of Phoenix Futures in 2012.

“One of the challenges for chief executives is to ensure organisations they lead hold on to the things that are important to them whilst changing and adapting to the environment in which they work.

There are many things that are important to us at Phoenix but the essence of what defines us is a resilience and an inner optimism about life even when faced with the most difficult challenges and our deep routed optimism that people can and do recover.

Last year for the first year I called my award the Recovery Icon Award. I realised that over the last few years I have given my award to people that symbolise that essence of Phoenix recovery;

An inner strength, a drive, a passion and a commitment An understanding of the value of support from others Awareness of the road they have travelled but an optimism to look forward to the future. A love of life and eagerness to celebrate it A passion to use their experience to the benefit of others

Previous winners of the award Bob, Jose, John Crane have all that in bucketful and it is no different for the person who will receive this award today.

Many people have guessed this year who this award is going too. Someone told me they knew before I did! And whilst that may spoil the surprise it also pleases me that, firstly – you understand what the award is about and who should get it and secondly you agree that I have made the right decision.

After graduating from our Hampshire residential service 9 years ago ( or Alpha as it was then) he went out into the world and worked with disadvantaged young people. Keen to use his experience of recovery for the benefit of others, he began sessional work with us in 2007 in Hampshire becoming a team member and then the department coordinator. He is an important member of the community in Hampshire and a vital contributor to the development of our residential services across the country, he does it all with energy and commitment, and takes on much more than his role demands.

Much of that is common to many of our staff, the scarily outstanding thing about this recovery icon is his ability to create a vision and take a whole organisation with him.

He convinced me to agree to a 100 services users taking part in a 12 week voyage around the country; at the cost of £70,000 at a time when a third of our business was being retendered and we were facing the worst economic conditions of a generation.

He did 3 legs of the voyage himself and im not sure how he has time to be a husband and a dad but I know he is a thoroughly lovely man.

A common characteristic of past winners of my award has been that they don’t really know how special they are so Stuart Plant please for a moment come and appreciate what a very great recovery icon you are and come and receive this award.”

Karen Biggs, Chief Executive - Phoenix Futures

Stuart Plant


receive

Mansukh MistryIn recognition of his dedication and outstanding contribution to our

organisation

Mansukh Mistry has been our Payroll Officer at Phoenix Futures for the past 12 years. He has been an integral part of Phoenix, seeing our organisation increase its service base with an expanding number of employees.

His friendly and approachable nature has enabled him to perform the role to an outstanding level with praise from all those who interact with him.

He has performed his role with an outstanding level of accuracy and attention to detail that ensures that everyone is paid on time every month

Mansukh has always been willing to put the needs of the organisation and its employees before his own.

We love you loads Mansukh.

Emily SavageSystems and Management Accountant


Rowdy YatesHonourary Graduate 2012For your belief in Recovery

At this year’s New Year Honours awards ceremony there was a very special announcement. This year the ceremony recognised Rowdy Yates, a long term friend and supporter of Phoenix, by inviting him to become our first Honorary Graduate. This recognition of Rowdy’s immense contribution to the sector was presented by Phoenix Chief Executive Karen Biggs.

When presenting the award Karen said;

‘’Rowdy Yates stopped using drugs before I was born. More importantly he did his recovery before Phoenix was born. But through that lifetime of recovery he has tirelessly used his experience to the benefit of others. ‘’

Describing Rowdy’s inspirational impact on the sector Karen went on to say;

“He is the current Executive Director of EWODOR (the European Working Group on Drugs Oriented Research ) and acting president of the European Federation of Therapeutic Communities. He has a catalogue of published work on drugs, music and therapeutic communities. In 1994 was awarded the Order of Member of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the prevention of drug misuse. To honour his lifetime commitment to the field of recovery and for holding the spirit of Phoenix recovery in every sinew of his being, I am very proud to ask Rowdy Yates to become our first ever Phoenix Honorary Graduate”

Rowdy accepted the award and stated he was “honoured and humbled”.

Congratulations Rowdy we are proud to welcome you as our first ever Honorary Graduate


New Year Honours Special

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Transcript of New Year Honours Special