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Drug team of the year winners

The Tackling Drugs Changing Lives Awards recognise individuals and teams who have really made a difference in their local community. The overall winners receive £10,000 for their project or organisation. The winner will be announced on 9 December.

Winners

Aquarius, (Birmingham)

Aquarius is a recognised leading specialist drugs and alcohol agency. They deliver a range of services from residential rehabilitation to Primary Care services to educational programmes. 

Of particular note is the teams work in two local hostels. Various professional agencies had failed to tackle the problems of the hostel due to the demanding clientele.  The team utilised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as well as incredible patience and determination. This achieved a reduction of over 30% of local anti-social behaviour and crime which originated from the occupants of the two hostels.

New Horizon Youth Centre Women's Open Space Programme, (London)

This centre operates an outreach team in the Kings Cross area of London for rough sleepers under the age of 25, female sex workers and other vulnerable woman of all ages.

The main aims of the programme are to reduce risk taking behaviour amongst service users, increase awareness of personal safety and empower female sex workers to break the cycle of sex, drugs and violence and to increase users understanding of the criminal justice process.

Recent research from the Kings Cross Community Project and Lancaster University ranked this service as the highest against all other similar agencies in the same area. 

Sharp,  (Liverpool)

SHARP Liverpool has developed a 12-step 'road to recovery' programme that engages with the wide community in Liverpool and the surrounding areas. 

The team delivers a strong clinical day programme for addicts and alcoholics and their families. There are over 150 programme graduates, many of whom are now employed in other treatment services. A family's residential programme has been provided to 13 family members of clients and a further 126 family therapy sessions have also been held as part of the day treatment programme. This enables the family to cope much better with the effects of addiction and alcoholism and to feel empowered with increased levels of awareness.

The team also provide a weekly opportunity for other professionals to experience the collaborative and transparent work in the 12-step day treatment.

 

P.R.O.P.S,  (Newcastle)

Positive Response to Overcoming Problems of Substance was established as a result of local women's concerns regarding the need to provide a positive response to misuse in the local community.

The support provided by carers to parents and partners of alcohol and drug misusers goes as far as attending court, probation and prison visits as well as providing practical support including issues with housing, benefits and young peoples' services.

By providing carers with training opportunities including drug awareness, first aid and assertive skills P.R.O.P.S are able to provide high standards of service to its clients.  They also provide respite and short break for carers and family members in the P.R.O.P.S caravan situated near Newcastle giving them time to spend together away from the stress of their daily routine and often chaotic lifestyle.

 

Oxfordshire User Team, (Oxford)

This team is extremely dedicated to service user involvement and seeks to improve service provision and accessibility of substance misuse services across the county. 

The team aim to improve commissioning processes and reduce inequalities. They have adopted a new innovative approach of involving the local prison and offender management institutions. Thanks to them a number of mechanisms have been introduced which have significantly contributed to the redesign and re-commissioning of community drug and alcohol services across the country.

Going beyond service user treatment needs OUT have also worked to improve health, housing and social needs for users resulting in - amongst other things - a reduction of drug related deaths across the country over the last five years.