"Addiction, Recovery, Employment and Contentment"

I was referred to CGL through the Criminal Justice pathway after being given RAR days for an offence in 2021. I was assigned to Lee  who said it would be a good idea to do the Foundations of Rehabilitation Course with him and his group. I did the first few weeks and then we looked at the possibility of Detox after I had relapsed. Lee spent numerous hours with me over the course of the order, and he was very supportive and asked the question about what i wanted to do employment wise. He advised me there would be lots of hard work I had to do personally before any consideration was made to go into the Health and Social care field (especially alcohol services) , and therefore , along with my own personal reasons for getting clean I decided I was more than willing and able to do it.

Lee, and Sharan were amazing in helping me with my own self confidence and believed in me all the way. I started a Level 3 in Drug & Alcohol counselling to fill in the missing areas that i had no experience with. This gave me a greater insight into what was needed to become an effective practitioner. I paid for the course with my own money, and was on a mission to stay sober. The hard work started when I left detox.

The staff were amazing in giving me a sense of self worth and also telling me areas in which I could improve. After a period of staying sober and showing signs of improvements in my personal life, such as relationships, family relationships, part time work, and personal health, the team were happy for me to co-lead sessions as somebody who had the lived experience, and working through problems. I took this very seriously and enjoyed it immensely! It was rewarding to able to just give a little bit back.

I was then invited to do the QLS course with John  and Amy. This was eye -opening, as it was a way of seeing the other side of the coin and seeing the amount of work that goes into each person. I learned about professional boundaries, safeguarding, conflict resolution, and other topics that volunteers need to adhere to. After passing this I applied for a volunteer role at CGL, which I was given. The recruitment process was good, in the sense that they were very stringent when it came to my DBS.

They acknowledged the work that had been done since the last offence, and also looked at other offences. I expected this, and was nervous around this. Management were great in making sure i didn't get my hopes too high, but at the same time they were supportive. It was the first time since relapse that I had to exercise my ability to remain calm in a high pressured situation, because it was tempting to give up at the DBS point. The shame and the stigma attached to having a record has always been overwhelming, but CGL were able to keep me relxed throughout and assure me that whatever the outcome, I was doing very well personally. This for me was enough. it was only when I'd found peace in this, that I started to believe in myself, and realised that there are others that have been on my journey through substance abuse/ criminal justice system and come out the other side and used there experience postively to help others.

I was successful in my volunteer interview and then I joined the We Can Recover group, Mens Group, and the Foundations of Rehabilitation Group, as a Group Mentor. I worked \with John, Lee, and Jenn. All three gave me great advice in group facilitation, and were also very helpful in showing me how it is done the CGL way. The groups were always different, insightful and they allowed me to even facilitate (with paid staff present), and showed me how to do the admin side of things. They were always on hand to help, and were nothing but supportive. I was always believed in, and they gave me the confidence to be able to be myself in groups, as this is what the service users would appreciate. As soon as I started being more comfortable in myself, I noticed that the group cohorts were happy with my input in group and it became a positive experience for all involved. I have sincerely enjoyed the groups!

I loved the idea of being someone who could assist service users, and offer them help/support and advice, which is something I did informally, during and after groups. I looked around at opportunities, and my manager Jodie was incredibly supportive! This surprised me how supportive she and others were around this, as I was doing 3 days a week at Halton. They genuinely wanted to see me grow! With this I became a person who was no longer bound by my past. Having somebody to believe in me changed my whole mindset. I told Jodie that i would be looking at any opportunities that arise. John, Sharan, Jenn and Lee were also a part of this journey giving me plenty of encouragement, but being realistic at the same time. I applied for a few different positions, and was absolutely amazed to get 7 interviews from 11 applications.

I didn't get the first 3, but then the right one seemed to come at the right time! Staff were continually supportive and told me not to be disheartened. My 4th attempt was a full-time alcohol co-ordinator, and I nearly fell off my horse when they offered me the job!! This wouldnt have been possible without the support of the staff at Halton.

I now wear a Lanyard that says ''Believe in People'' And as a recipient of this, I have seen just how crucial this is in a persons life. EVERYONE at Halton believed, and I achieved!