Date: 01 Jan 2006
Area where based: Hartlepool and Leeds
Outline of Project:
D.I.S.C, an independent charity which focuses on tackling deprivation and exclusion in the North of England, currently run Back to You projects in Hartlepool and Leeds.
The Back to You Model offers through care to aftercare for a range of adult and young person client groups (including DIP, PPO and generic drug users) who are stable and looking to explore what their next steps are in terms of life choices available to them.
The project works by delivering structured group work, a programme of physical activities and one to one sessions, focussing on unmet emotional needs as a tool to instigate behavioural changes. The programme approach is also focused upon promoting client ownership and management of the care planning approach.
The priority client groups identified by the model are:
1. Those currently held on shared care waiting lists
2. Referrals received from agencies including health, other services within D.I.S.C., NACRO and the Dual Diagnosis team
3. Those individuals who have become/ are wanting to become stable on substitute prescribed medication
In Hartlepool, Back to You staff work within the Whitby Street drug treatment centre in recruiting clients to attend the full programme at the Summerhill Centre, which is based in a community centre. The decision to host the project away from the local drug treatment centre was made after consultation with service users who felt they wanted both the anonymity of a community based setting and also the opportunity to move away from needing to attend the drug treatment centre. It is thought that this may also encourage Back to You clients to access other, more generic community based support services that are offered within the Summerhill Centre.
Moving forward, D.I.S.C. are currently in the process of setting up a new Back to You project in Sunderland and have successfully recruited an additional 4 project staff in order to meet the demand for their existing services in Hartlepool and Leeds.
Aims and Objectives:
The overall aim of the project is to support clients in recognising the need to change their behaviour and to take a greater degree of responsibility and ownership for the management of their care planning. Clients will then have the necessary support and skills to explore a drug free future.
Objectives:
Client outcomes will vary, but overall they are expected to cover the following areas:
- Reduction in criminal involvement
- Increased engagement in employment, training and education opportunities
- Reduction in drug use (prescribed and non-prescribed drug use)
- Increased stability in relationships
- Increase in stability with housing and tenancies
Outcomes/Evaluation:
The Back to You Model has been monitored and evaluated. This process has included regular and ongoing internal evaluation through D.I.S.C's systems, a programme evaluation by the Business Development Unit and Crystal Inventory which is a substance misuse service monitoring tool.
As a condition of their DAT funding, the Hartlepool project has to undergo regular auditing. D.I.S.C. is also in the process of undertaking an independent evaluation of the Back to You approach by a consultancy.
Outcomes:
At the start of the project key areas were identified in relation to expected outcomes to be measured which included:-
• Reduction in criminal involvement
• Increased engagement in employment, training and education opportunities
• Reduction in drug use
• Reduction in stress
• Increased stability in relationships
• Increase in stability with housing and tenancies
• Increased Health and risk behaviours
• Increased finance and budgeting management
• Increased ability to manage influences
The programme has evidenced a positive change in every individual who has attended the course. The formation of a self-help group that works with those individuals who have accessed the course to provide continued support once the course has ended will provides ongoing support once the course has ended. The programme provides a real humanistic alternative.
The following average results are a consolidation of all programmes run to date.
• Increased engagement in employment, training and education opportunities reported by 72% of participants.
• Reduction in stress and increased happiness reported by 61% of participants.
• Reduction in drug use reported by 35% of participants.
• Reduction in criminal involvement reported by 30% of participants.
• Increased stability in relationships reported by 34% of participants.
• Increase in stability with housing and tenancies reported by 36% of participants.
• Increased health reported by 74% of participants.
• Increased finance and budgeting management reported by 21% of participants.
• Increased ability to manage influences reported by 24% of participants.
Date Added: 16 Jun 2010
