Where are you based and what geographical area do you work in? Expand We are based in Shoreditch, East London. We work with people from across London and sometimes just outside of London. We are close to transport links (Shoreditch High Street, Old Street, Liverpool Street) and are well connected by several bus routes.
Are your courses free? Or does someone need funding for a training space? Expand Our courses are free to access for people aged 18 and over, who are in recovery from drug and alcohol use. This is only possible due to the generous grants, funding and donations from our wonderful supporters. Find out how you can support our work here.
Do you reimburse travel expenses? Expand We reimburse the cost of someone’s travel from their home address to our base in Shoreditch and the return journey home for training and one-to-one tutorials. We require proof of travel that is either a receipt or an Oyster Card print out specifying each journey.
Do individuals attending your courses have to be abstinent from drugs and alcohol? Expand Our courses are for people who are no longer using drugs or alcohol and have a sense of stability in their recovery. We can and do work with people on low doses of substitute medication such as methadone, Subutex or Suboxone. We also recognise that the word ‘abstinence’ can mean different things to people within drug and alcohol services and the area of recovery. Our work focuses on supporting individuals to understand the root causes of their substance use, and recognises the connections between trauma, social inequality and addiction.
Is there a minimum age required to attend your courses? Expand We mainly work with people aged 24 and over, however the minimum age for someone to get in touch is 18. Our referral process is designed to explore fully with someone whether our courses, and the topics we explore are right for them, based on their current circumstances in life, their stage of recovery and emotional availability.
Is there a minimum attendance requirement? Expand Attending all sessions and arriving on time are essential parts of all our courses. To complete our courses, we require a minimum attendance of 85%. This is to create consistency and stability for each person attending, which helps to create a sense of safety, trust and support within the group overall.
Do you reimburse childcare expenses? Expand We are currently unable to offer support with childcare expenses. We are acutely aware of how this can be a significant barrier for parents to access our courses and we are constantly seeking funding to help overcome this obstacle.
Do all of your courses include qualifications? Expand We currently include an OCN qualification for people completing our Psychology for Change course.
Do you offer any volunteer placements? Expand A key part of our ethos is to support graduates of our courses to move gently beyond the world of recovery and reconnect with their whole self, lives and wider world. This includes support to access further courses or volunteer opportunities. Depending on the time, there might be opportunities with us directly, or we can sign-post to other relevant organisations.
How can someone access your courses? Expand You can find all you need to know about ways to access our courses here.