The government’s 10-year plan to cut crime and save lives, published this week, provides services like ours with the opportunity to change the lives of more people, and families, across the country.
Following the recommendations of Dame Carol Black’s report, and the government’s rollout of Project ADDER earlier this year, this commitment to rebuild the sector, and invest over a long period of time, is welcomed.
The theme of transitioning ‘from harm to hope‘, by investing in the largest ever increase in budget for treatment, places us, and similar organisations, at the heart of this decade long strategy. Plus, the recognition of fast-tracking funding to specific regions, including the North East, may give us the additional support we need to prove that this strategy can work.
That this may prove to be recognition within government that problematic substance use is intrinsically linked to other, social and psychological issues, is another substantial positive. Acknowledging that social exclusion, poverty, unemployment, and trauma can play a commanding role in the behaviour and actions of the people we support, additional funds could help the sector to approach these wider issues in even more positive ways.
Connecting people with the right support, and being able to utilise a wide network of providers also benefitting from this investment, will hopefully make such processes simpler, and more efficient. With the broader aim of the government to reduce crime, tackling the underlying, contributory issues most prevalent in individuals, and wider communities, will be crucial.
Ultimately, it is up to charities like ours, and others active in the sector, to put this investment and opportunity to work for the people who want our support. Thankfully, as a Lived Experience Recovery Organisation we are already in an ideal position to do so, with both our employment and trauma counselling services already growing from existing investment.
With four locations across the North East, and excellent relationships with other services in all of our locations, we look forward to being integral to delivering on the government’s commitment. We will continue to invest in our people, both staff and those we work with, and demonstrate, by example, what is possible when people embrace the opportunity of recovery.
