Recovery Festival - HousingSetting the scene

Marcus RobertsChief Executive, DrugScope

‘Building recovery in communities’-‘drug free life’ (but also medically assisted recovery);-‘individual person-centred journey’; -‘recovery capital’;-‘recovery champions’;-‘enable reintegration back into communities’ housing/employment.

Most people with periods of dependent or problematic use in their lives overcome this and move on.ALSOMany people who develop severe dependence have pre-existing problems or issues. People whose lives are dominated by drug and alcohol dependence often incur significant collateral damage in addition, e.g. health harms. Overcoming drug or alcohol problems is a difficult … our ambition for recovery should be tempered with realism.

‘Effective solutions to housing [are needed] whereby in every local area there is ready access to reasonable standard accommodation. This is a pre-requisite for any progress to be made with individual recovery’

CEO of treatment service

“Somewhere to live, people to talk to, therapy to help with the past’’

www.meam.org.ukwww.themeamapproach.org.uk

Some links DrugScope at www.drugscope.org.uk UK Drug Policy Commission archive at

www.ukdpc.org.uk MEAM at www.meam.org.uk RSA at http://www.thersa.org/action-

research-centre/community-and-public-services/connected-communities

Contact: marcusr@drugscope.org.uk