Case studies

NDS theme:  Communities
Organisation/Region:  South Gloucester DAT, South West 
Who funds it?  DAT and donations/subscriptions from a range of local
businesses
Name: David Warren
Tel/email:  01454 868552

Background/what the project does
South Gloucester is an area containing many large industrial sites and blue chip businesses, clustered around the M4/M5 interchange. The local DAT were struggling to fund their work and there were no treatment facilities in the area. By setting up a DAT Business Group and a Corporate Membership scheme, and recruiting decision-makers from 20 of the largest local employers, including Roll Royce and Hewlett Packard, they were able to transform their work and provide a source of ongoing funding.

The Business Group plan funding raising events, including half-marathons and football tournaments, involving their own companies and others in the area. They also provide practical help and donations to community drugs groups, such as providing a local parents support group with computers and mobile phones.

The Corporate Membership scheme allows companies to use the DAT's expertise to produce workplace drugs policies and to train staff on drug-related issues, in return for an annual subscription.  Through this scheme the DAT has now trained more than 1,000 employees. This increased funding as enabled the DAT to establish the first treatment centre in the area, and to offer recovering drug users the chance to gain 6 months' work experience with local businesses.

What makes it different
The project is unique in its engagement of business in both the funding of drugs initiatives and in training large number of employees. Setting up a charitable trust enabled the DAT to channel business donations into local drugs work, while the Corporate Membership Scheme provides a source of sustainable funding.

Quotes
"By working closely with local companies we can get something for everyone. Businesses get active community involvement and drug awareness training; the DAT gets a vital source of extra funding; local people get new treatment services and practical support to run their own drug-related community groups while ex-users get the chance to re-enter the jobs market with help and training."

Last Updated: 29/07/2003