The CAIS North Wales Peer Mentoring Scheme

Because people can, and do, change.

Welcome...We believe that people can, and do, change. The Peer Mentoring Scheme helps and supports individuals who are, or who have been,affected by drug or alcohol misuse, to make positive, sustainable lifestyle changes.

Peer Mentors help those on the Scheme to develop their confidence and help to equip them with the skills necessary to enter the world of work. The Peer Mentoring Scheme is a European Social Fund initiative. It is an integral part of the Welsh Government’s strategy to help those with a history of substance misuse togain economic independence.

Tackling substance misuse together

Contents

1. The Peer Mentoring Scheme3. A Peer Mentor’s Story5. Paul’s Story7. Kelly’s Story9. Vicky’s Story11. Stephen’s Story12. Margaret’s Poem13. Volunteering20. Awards & Recognition22. Europe Day23. Peer Mentoring Awards24. Praise in the Press25. Communications26. The Future of the Peer Mentoring Scheme

The Peer Mentoring SchemeThe Peer Mentoring Scheme is funded for 4 years, from 1st October 2009 to 30th September 2013 and like all European Funded Projects, the funding is dependent upon certain targets being met.

The focus of the Scheme is learning, education and training, leading to qualifications, voluntary work and ultimately enabling service users to become ‘work ready’ - all forming part of their ‘recovery journey’. For some participants this can be a relatively quick process, only taking a few months, but for the majority of them and certainly for those who have taken time to engage with services, it can take a lot longer.

In the early days of the Scheme, the targets were slow in being achieved. It was taking longer than originally anticipated to engage and encourage many of the service users, to gain their confidence in a Scheme that was really going to make a difference to their lives - many had felt let down previously by services which they had high hopes for.

But as service users began to engage with the Scheme and began to recognise the positive lifestyle changes their Peers had made and were still making, realisation grew that this really was going to work! Peer Mentors offer support to participants throughout their recovery journey, and are living proof that positive lifestyle changes can be made and individuals can turn their lives around.

The OutcomesThese are targets which have to be achieved in order to qualify for the funding. The outcomes are spread over the lifetime of the Scheme. Only one ‘positive outcome’ per participant can be included, even though many participants do achieve more.

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Participants The Scheme must engage with a set number of participants throughout its duration.

Qualifications The number of ‘accredited’ courses that participants are expected to achieve. Only one qualiffication per participant can be included, even though many of our participants do achieve more than one.

Further Learning The number of participants who enter a further learning programme. This is an ‘exit outcome’ and those entering further learning should be ready to exit the Scheme and receive no further support.

Employment The number of participants who enter into paid employment. This is also an ‘exit outcome’ and those entering into employment should also be ready to exit the Scheme and receive no further support.

Positive Outcomes - There are 4 positive outcomes:

o Completing a course - these are courses which are not accreditedo Gaining a part qualification - these are courses which form part of a larger qualificationo Volunteering - taking part in voluntary worko Job Interview - becoming work ready and attending a job interview

As the Scheme has progressed over the last 3 years and confidence has grown in its success, we have seen an increase in the number of achievements participants have gained. Some were very hesitant about attending a course at first, they lacked the confidence and motivation, but we have now hosted 4 Award Ceremonies and those receiving Certificates on the day are extremely proud of what they have achieved.

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A Peer Mentor’s journeyLarry Marsden was one of the first Peer Mentor Caseworkers to join the team in early 2010. Larry draws upon his personal experiences to help others who have been affected by substance misuse. This is his story:

“To cut a long story short, I was a heroin addict for 30 years and a crack cocaine addict for the last 15. I was an habitual offender and spent many years in prison in many different establishments and countries – all to fund my drug addiction. I had never voluntarily engaged with any services or went into detox in all of those 30 years. In order to find £200-£300 to fund my daily drug habit, I found myself homeless, committing crime and going to prison on a regular basis.

I was 48 years old when I decided that enough was enough. Probation was on my case about my addiction and offending. When I found somewhere to live I would lose it with the next prison sentence. I never ate properly and every penny I had went on drugs.

I never had an ‘Action Plan’, I just knew what I ‘didn’t’ want and that was to live my life like I had been for the past 30 years. I secured a place at the CAIS detox unit, Hafan Wen. Amazingly, detox for me was relatively easy as I was sure in myself that once I stopped taking drugs my problems would disappear. After successfully completing detox I was discharged from Hafan Wen – homeless and the subject of a drug testing order. I realised, with some shock, that I had always been a drug addict who committed crime to fund the habit and not the other way round. I presumed that I was a criminal who took drugs! Believe me – there is a massive distinction between the two! I recognised that I needed to fill my time positively so that I didn’t get bored and resort to past behaviour. I began to engage with services and started attending training courses.

With my new found confidence I enthusiastically applied for job after job. I would always give full verbal disclosure at a interview. Some agencies sadly stopped me there with the standard ‘with regret’ response while others waited until my

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CRB arrived before withdrawing their offer of employment. Other employers discovered that I lived in supported housing and presumed that I was incapable of passing on what I had learnt, so didn’t want me either. I was disheartened and angry, but I wasn’t about to give in to prejudice and discrimination. I believed in myself and I even liked myself now!

One day I had a phone call from my support worker who told me about a job that was being advertised for a ‘Caseworker Peer Mentor’ with the CAIS Peer Mentoring Scheme. They were looking for an ex-service user who could mentor service users through recovery towards economic independence. He told me that the project had come about through a research document called ‘Word on the Street’.

I found the research document and read about the ‘gaps’ in services that had been identified. I realised that I had negotiated my own way through these gaps in my own recovery and here was an organisation that recognised that. They understood that many of us had a chequered history, but recognised that we had credible skills and that we could be employed positively; we had a right to be allowed to contribute to our community and we should be valued. Now I knew this, but reading it in black and white was amazing!

I attended the interview with my CRB, so that we wouldn’t end up wasting each other’s time in applying for one. I was successful and commenced my full-time paid position on the 18th January 2010. I WAS SO EXCITED!!

Here we are now – 3 years later. My position has evolved as the project has grown. Every day has been a challenge and every day has been different. These last 3 years have been the happiest of my life. I have been privileged to be allowed to contribute to society, to my community and to enable my fellow peers to contribute as well.

I work with a dedicated, enthusiastic and knowledgeable team of people, many of whom have progressed from mentee to volunteer to paid member of staff themselves. Everybody has their own story and their own skill set but we all work towards the same goal. I know that we make a difference because I see it every day. It’s due to the hard work and dedication of the Peer Mentors along with the will to succeed of the clients that makes the project such a success.”

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Paul’s Story“I spent a long time believing that the best that I could hope for in life was the life, rather existence, that I had become accustomed to. This life was one of mistrust, anger, petty squabbles and death; not a true friend in sight.

My only prospect was to end up dead myself, the oldest junkie in town. With this prospect staring me in the face I made a decision, to give life a go, a life without drugs. This was easier said than done. Where do I start?

Drugs were all I knew. I began to see that the decision to change was not going to be easy or happen in a week, but the seed had been sown so I bit the bullet and settled in for the long haul. After all, what did I have to lose? If this ‘life’ thing turned out to be no good, I could always go back to what I knew. This was the standard addict mind set - leave the door open for failure, because it will definitely happen. I failed twice. As it turned out, coming off the drugs was the easy part. Living life, something I knew very little about was the hard part. I had to learn how to live. Who am I? Where do I fit in society? Looking inside yourself at things that have been hidden or lost

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for one reason or another is a hard thing to do. Your weaknesses and strengths laid bare, stripped for all to see and mock; but it’s the acceptance of these weaknesses that will eventually make the man and indeed the adult.

I was privileged enough to get involved with the Peer Mentoring Scheme in its early days. The Scheme allowed me to look at myself, realise my potential and develop myself as a person. It’s taken some time, but I always knew that it would.

I’m proud of the new and fulfilling life that I have been able to achieve with the support and love of people around me. I am now in the privileged position of being able to offer some of what I have learnt to others.

I now help others realise their true potential and enable those with substance misuse issues to move forward. I would not change a thing about my life now. Needless to say, life is better! As for that door to failure that I left open, it’s now well and truly closed!”

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Paul’s journey to recovery is an example of how someone can achieve

the following outcomes with the support and guidance of Peer Mentors:

Achieve a qualificationComplete a course

Gain a part qualificationVolunteer

Attend a job interviewEnter Employment

“I turned to alcohol at the age of 13. Looking back it was no surprise as I’d grown up with an alcoholic mother. I’d discovered alcohol by accident as I was curious to know why mum enjoyed it so much. At the time I’d been through both sexual and physical abuse since the age of 8. Drink became a good medicine. I discovered that if I drunk enough to be practically comatose, it would make the abuse seem easier to deal with.

By the time I’d reached 25, I’d replaced alcohol with Class A drugs. Whilst growing up I’d managed to build a wall around myself, allowing nobody to get close to me. However, if I was ‘off my head’ on enough drugs, if only for a short while, it brought the wall down.

Things began to change last year when I registered with the Peer Mentoring Scheme. I realised that my life needed to change. I’d stopped taking drugs but I knew that I needed help and support to make positive life changes. I knew it, but accepting it was even harder. I’d gone so long protecting myself and wearing a front that I wasn’t sure what lay beneath.

What was difficult for me must have been ten times harder for my mentors. For a while I refused to engage. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face things, but my mentors persevered. Their

Kelly’s Story

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patience never waned. As defiant as I was, they never gave up. They still made those weekly calls inviting me to the drop-in and always noticed when it was a bad week for me. They always made that contact and boosted me back up.

In time that perseverance began to pay off. I started going on the courses that my mentors offered and even started an Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) Scheme. It wasn’t until I began volunteering for the Peer Mentoring Scheme that things started to look up and I finally let go of my past.

I’d spent a weekend with an ex-boyfriend and yet again, it had been violent. This time I snapped. I found myself sitting in the bathroom, just like old times, with a knife in my hand. This time something stopped me. I saw how far I’d come lately. I remembered that my mentors never lost faith in me, and for the first time ever, I began to really believe in myself. I didn’t want this.

I learnt how to talk and open up. From then on I’ve never looked back. I have a bright future ahead of me. I’m about to move into a new home and I have friends. I’m learning to trust again and I’m free. If I look back at where I was a year ago, I really can’t believe how far I’ve come! I no longer need drugs to let people in. I no longer feel a need to hurt myself and most of all I’m smiling again. I’m no longer numb.

I would like to say thank you to the most amazing mentors for their perseverance, patience and their ability to see my potential - long before I did. Thank you for your encouragement and faith in me and for unlocking my potential - the only way now is onwards and upwards!”

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Kelly’s journey to recovery is an example of how someone can

achieve the following outcomes with the support and guidance of Peer

Mentors:

Achieve a qualificationComplete a course

Gain a part qualificationVolunteer

Attend a job interviewEnter Employment

Vicky’s Story“I first became involved with the Peer Mentoring Scheme in August 2011. I was assessed by a lady called Shirley who was accompanied by another lady called Sharon. At first I was a bit apprehensive about discussing my previous addictions because I thought I would be frowned upon, but how wrong I was!

They both told me of their own experiences and this made me feel much more at ease. I gradually began to feel as though I wouldn’t be judged if I spoke to them. I also hoped that they could help me to get out of the rut that I found myself in. Once I registered with the Scheme I was offered training courses and voluntary opportunities. The Scheme, to my delight, is delivered by many people who have had their own addiction problems. To me this is fantastic as everyone involved understands what you’re going through and how hard it is to get back on track after addiction problems.

I was absolutely at my wits’ end when I went to CAIS. I had no future, no motivation, no goals in life and no plans. I was just an existing empty shell lying on the couch, mentally and physically wasting away.

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After registering with the Scheme I made sure that I went on every course available. I also started shadowing Shirley, my Peer Mentor. My confidence was growing and by this stage I started to feel accepted again. I also participated on the numerous volunteering events that the Scheme organised. These volunteering events are fantastic as not only are we giving something back to the community, but we are also keeping ourselves busy. After all, we’re only human. We happened to take the wrong route in life but we desperately want to fit back into society. Being with people the same as you makes the recovery Journey so much easier as you know that you’re not alone, and that nobody is looking down on you. This year I won a Highly Commended award for all that I have achieved. I even landed myself a place at Bangor University to study for a B.A (Hons) in Psychosocial Studies in Substance Use.

I’ve managed to totally turn my life around in just one year! There is no doubt in my mind that this is due to the help and support from my Peer Mentors. Thank you to all involved with the Peer Mentoring Scheme!

I don’t count the days anymore, I make the days count.”

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Vicky’s journey to recovery is an example of how someone can

achieve the following outcomes with the support and guidance of

Peer Mentors:

Achieve a qualificationComplete a course

Gain a part qualificationVolunteer

Enter further learning

Before I became involved with the CAIS Peer Mentoring Scheme my life was a mess. I was drinking every day. Most days I was drinking 6 litres of cider or wine to block out the pain caused by childhood abuse which had haunted me most of my life.

When I was 18 years old my father passed away quite suddenly. I used alcohol to suppress my feelings and emotions. I was becoming ill, my body just had enough and I ended up in hospital. The doctors told me that if I didn’t stop drinking, I would die. I was existing - not living. In June 2010 I decided to do a home detox. I then went into a rehab facility called Touchstones12 in Colwyn bay. It was while I was in T12 that I first became aware of the Peer Mentoring Scheme. I was assessed and registered by a lady called Naomii who told me that I didn’t have to go down the road to recovery alone.

Naomii gave me hope about my life and future. Since I registered in 2010 I have never felt alone. I have successfully completed 14 courses which I have used as tools on my journey to recovery.

I became involved with voluntary work in Bangor, Llandudno, Wrexham and Colwyn Bay which I have really enjoyed. I have met people from all walks of life and we all support and encourage one another. In September this year I became a voluntary Peer Mentor which I thoroughly enjoy. In my role I only want to see people get well and live life to the full. Now I am 5 months into my sobriety and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Peer Mentoring Scheme for playing a massive part in my life and in my recovery process.

Stephen’s Story

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Stephen’s journey to recovery is an example of how someone can achieve the following outcomes with the support and guidance of Peer Mentors: Achieve a qualification, Complete a course, Gain a part qualification and Volunteer

Margaret is a Peer Mentoring volunteer. Her partner wrote the following poem abut her recovery journey:

Life Line

Margaret had a troubled past,and this she knew it could not last.

Intoxicated from dusk till dawn,although drunk was one big yawn.

Lost all family and friends,she knew she had to make amends.

Then one day she had some good advice,and best of all she contacted CAIS.

She was as safe as Fort Knox,doing her fortnightly detox,

and now she’s clear,for many a year.

Now she trains to help others,to her they are sisters and brothers.

She tries to give help and advice,all thanks to lovely CAIS.

Margaret’s Poem

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Volunteering

The team who helped to restore the Bangor Paddling Pool

Gardening in Mold for the Mold Spring Clean

The Peer Mentoring Scheme has endeavoured to challenge some of the stigmas and discrimination that is often associated with those who have

substance misuse issues. By organising a range of community clean-ups and restoration projects across North Wales the Scheme has

challenged some of the the negative preconceptions and stereotypes about those in recovery.

To date we have organised over 50 volunteering events that have benefitted local communities.

The volunteers have helped to:• Restoreapaddlingpool• Recyclehouseholdwasteoncommunityskipdays• Paintcommunitycentres• Removeinvasiveweedsfromriverbeds• Clean-upAnglesey’sbeaches• MakefencesandfixboardwalksinWildlifeTrustreserves• Tidy-upandmaintaincommunityallotments• Paintbeachsheltersandvarnishbenches• MakedormiceboxesandwatergateswiththeSnowdoniaSociety• FreethemainstreetsofLlandudnofromchewinggum• RemovegrassandweedsfromtheLlandudnoPromenade• HelptheWelshMountainZoowithvarioustasks• Plantshrubs,treesandflowersatMorleyRoadParkinRhyl• HelptheColwynBayFootballClubtopainttheirstadium

The following is a selection of photos and quotes from the numerous volunteering events. More photos can be seen on our Facebook page

www.facebook.com/peermentoringnw13

We’ve helped to paint the sideboards at the Colwyn Bay Football Club

Team of volunteers in LlandudnoVolunteers plant trees in Morley Road Park, Rhyl

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A group of volunteers at the Colwyn Bay Football Club

Painting the beach shelters and varnising the benches along the Rhos-on-Sea Promenade

Margaret painting fences in a park in Bangor

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In these austere times that we find ourselves in it is more important than ever for my organisation to engage with volunteer groups and the Peer Mentoring team in particular have excelled all my expectations. It truly is wonderful to see local volunteers giving back to their

local community by improving a park that perhaps once they remembered for all the wrong reasons. There has

been a remarkable reduction in reports of litter, hypodermic needles, dog fouling and vandalism since the Peer Mentoring volunteers began maintaining this

park.

Katherine Williams, Public Realm Team Leader, Rhyl

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” Volunteers helping to tidy-up a neglected cemetery in Old Colwyn

Volunteers helping a community group to restore the Bangor Paddling pool

The volunteers were happy to take on any tasks allocated to them. Everyone worked hard and

achieved more than I could have hoped for. I know that the regular volunteers on the project were very impressed with the group and grateful to have had their help. Some Peer Mentoring volunteers have continued to volunteer with Keep Wales Tidy and

have proved to be very reliable. The Peer Mentoring volunteers have been a fantastic help and I hope to continue to work with the Peer Mentoring project in

the future.

Judith Wright, Tidy Towns Project Worker

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Testimonials

Helping Keep Wales Tidy look after gardens in Flintshire

Volunteers recycling rubbish at the Colwyn Bay FC

Watering the vegetables at the Broom Grove allotments in Wrexham

The cemetery has sadly become overgrown this year and the work that the Peer Mentoring Team does has made such a difference to the site. I am pleased to see adults who have sadly been affected by their life style choices making a positive contribution to the community and at

the same time learning new and useful skills.

Glyn Jones, Chairman of the Old Colwyn Cemetery

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One of our volunteers litter-picking at theColwynBayMountainZoo

The team clear weeds from the Broom Grove allotments in Wrexham

Painting benches in Bangor Recycling rubbish

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Making dormice boxes with the Snowdonia Society

Volunteers at Colwyn Bay Football Club & Morley Road Park

We asked the group if they could provide assistance with a program of weeding on Llandudno’s North Shore.

The Peer Mentoring team had already helped the Harbour Office earlier in the year with painting the

promenade shelters in Colwyn Bay and did an excellent job. Volunteer groups such as Peer Mentoring are

important because they allow us to carry out additional work such as improving the appearance of the

promenades, which benefits the wider community.

Matthew Forbes, Harbour MasterConwy County Borough Council’s Harbour Office

The group of around 45 Peer Mentoring volunteers and their families from across North Wales took part in a beach cleaning activity on 2 coves next to Aberffraw beach and estuary on Anglesey. Around 20 bin liners full of rubbish were collected from both coves and one 10 gallon drum of used oil was found washed up on the beach. This was immediately reported to a local Keep

Wales Tidy warden and was subsequently removed. The event was a great success and all the volunteers and

their families were very enthusiastic about the day and the beach cleaning. Everyone had a great time whilst

doing valuable conservation work. The volunteers particularly were hard working and very dedicated.

Jen Rowlands, Development Worker Myned Project (for Countryside Council for Wales)

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Clearing weeds at the Broom Grove allotments in Wrexham

Working with the Snowdonia Society to clear woodland in Gwynedd

The team helping to recycle household waste

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On the 12th October 2012 the Peer Mentoring Scheme won the

‘Champion Team of the Year Award 2012’ at the Trinity

Mirror ‘Your Champion’ Award Ceremony.

The team was presented with the prestigious award for their

outstanding and dedicated efforts in making a difference to

the lives of those affected by substance misuse.

The hardworking Peer Mentors and volunteers always go the extra mile to offer support and

encourage others to make positive lifestyle changes.

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Awards and Recognition Vicky Jones, one of our hardworking volunteers, has completed over 180 hours of

voluntary work. She regularly spends her time volunteering as a volunteer Peer Mentor and also participates in the various volunteering events that the Scheme run to benefit local

communities.

On the 13th June 2012 she attended the CVSC Volunteering Awards at Craig y Don

Community Centre. Due to her outstanding voluntary efforts, the staff at the Peer

Mentoring Scheme nominated Vicky for the WCVA Volunteer of the Year Award and she was presented with a ‘Highly Commended

Award’ at the ceremony.

On the 27th July 2012 the Denbighshire Peer Mentoring team won the ‘Community Group of the Year Award’. The team were also a runner-up in the ‘Health Project of the

Year’ category at the South West Rhyl Communities First Awards.

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Europe DayTo celebrate ‘Europe Day’ on the 9th

May 2012 part of the Peer Mentoring team traveled to another

European state with a view to gain an in-depth understanding of how a

similar service operates in a different country.

We chose to visit Dublin and the North Inner City Drugs Task Force

(NICDTF) because of its close proximity to North Wales. The

NICDTF was established in 1997 to develop community responses to the

drug problem in the local area.

The Peer Mentoring Team met with Patricia O’Connell the NICDTF

Coordinator. Patricia took us to visit 4 projects: HOPE, SAOL, SOLAISE and the Training & Development Project. It was an interesting and worthwhile trip and all staff felt very enlightened

and positive by the end of the trip.

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The Peer Mentoring AwardsThe first Peer Mentoring Awards Ceremony of 2012 was held on the 17th April 2012 at The Interchange in Old

Colwyn. The awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of our clients to date, who through the Scheme, have been able to access training courses, enter further learning, secure paid employment and

participate in a range of voluntary opportunities.

During the afternoon, certificates were awarded to over 50 individuals for completing a range of training courses. The Peer Mentoring Scheme offers a wide variety of training courses to empower individuals and enable them to

become work-ready.

We offer numerous training courses such as Confidence Building, Relapse Prevention, Communication Skills, Anger and Stress Management as well as accredited qualifications such as the BTEC Peer Mentoring Skills and OCN

Employability training.

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Praise in the Press!

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CommunicationsWe keep local services, organisations and clients up to date through a variety of mediums including:•ApageontheCAISwebsite•QuarterlyPeerMentoringnewsletters•CAISnewsletters•Regularpressreleases•FacebookPage•TwitterPage•InstagramaccountWe also have a range of video interviews, photo albums and case studies to document our clients’ recovery journeys.

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The futureIt’s rare to go through life without encountering a situation that threatens to overwhelm you, to take away all your certainties and to undermine your well-being. Mercifully and with good fortune, most of us are able to survive such an experience, to pick up the threads and to live life to the full, in the way we choose.

In most cases that journey will not have been made alone. A friendly ear, a shoulder to cry on, a companion in time of need; these are the things that really make a difference. Be it bereavement, relationship breakdown, a life threatening illness – or substance misuse; the principle remains the same.

To truly understand you need to also have experienced. This philosophy was the principle upon which the Peer Mentoring Scheme was founded and has been the core of its success. It is the embodiment of the Recovery Agenda which is gaining stock across the globe. With a little help from their friends, people can, and do change.

Having created this groundswell of experience, competence and goodwill it is now imperative that we perpetuate the Scheme. Furthermore, such is the power of the model that it is being perceived by other health and social services as the most effective and economically sustainable method of creating and maintaining positive, life-enhancing changes.

We, in the North Wales Peer Mentoring Scheme are proud to be part of something very special, and are extremely grateful to those who have sponsored its development. We are here for the long-term and are eager and prepared to continue its success. CAIS Chief Executive Clive Wolfendale

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The Peer Mentoring Team would like to thank you for taking the time to learn more about our Scheme.To find out even more about the Scheme please visit the CAIS website www.cais.co.uk

The CAIS Peer Mentoring Scheme helps and supports individuals who are, or who have been affected by drug or alcohol misuse, to make positive, sustainable lifestyle changes.

About CAIS

CAIS is a registered charity and leading voluntary sector provider of drug and alcohol services in Wales. We help people who are having problems with their alcohol or drug use, as well as offering support and information to their

families and friends. Our wide range of services includes residential treatment and rehabilitation, one-to-one counselling, peer mentoring, supporting people in their homes, assisting people back into work or education, group

work and brief motivational interventions. We can also offer a comprehensive range of training courses, together with training and support for employers. We are very active in the field of employment interventions including the

development of our own social enterprises. CAIS is committed to working in partnership with others in keeping with the All Wales Strategy - Tackling Substance Misuse in Wales. All of our services aim to help people to recover from

addiction and rebuild normal, productive lifestyles, in the belief that people can and do change.

For more information about CAIS or the Peer Mentoring Scheme please visit our website: www.cais.co.ukor call the Peer Mentoring team on 01492 523 040.