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IN THIS ISSUE
ON THE COVER : Cultural understanding 16
A
friendly voice
6
Engaging with the ‘ hard to reach ’
INSIDE
4 NEWS Alcohol deaths up in Scotland ; probation ‘ responding poorly ’ to drugs
9 I AM A ... homeless recovery coordinator
12 RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE What keeps you on track ?
14 CLERO Defining recovery
14 LETTERS Seeking people involved in trafficking ; help a prisoner
18 PRISONER LITERACY A new scheme 20 TACKLING STIGMA Positive ideas 21 SAFETY FIRST Addressing overdose 22 PRESSURE ON Dame Carol Black review
The Probation Service is failing
10 8
STAYING STRONG IN PARTNERSHIP
DDN is proud to be HRI ’ s media partner for Constellations , an online festival of harm reduction , on 16-24 November . Register for programme updates at www . hri . global / constellations
DDN is a self-funded independent publication . Our bespoke partnership packages provide an opportunity to work closely with the magazine . Please get in touch to find out more .
Let ’ s make sure recovery is inclusive
When there ’ s so much competing for our attention , it ’ s easy for some things to feel unattainable . But threading diversity through our services is not an add-on . As Sohan Sahota explains ( p6 ) many BAME people perceive services as clinical and uncaring and have had poor experiences of engagement . Add language barriers and cultural differences to discrimination and it ’ s not hard to see why some people feel reluctant to engage . In Recovery Month this is surely something we need to examine very closely when we are celebrating the huge benefits of connection and a sense of belonging . Let ’ s make sure recovery is truly inclusive .
The feeling of being an outsider is compounded for people who find themselves homeless , says Wendy Nee ( p10 ), who describes the massive recovery opportunity we can offer simply through shelter , safety and kindness . The value of this vital sense of belonging also came across strongly when we asked , ‘ What keeps you on track with your recovery ?’ ( p12 ), which also shows the benefits of peer support .
While Phoenix share stigma-busting recovery projects that are enhancing the community ( p20 ), WDP and Shannon Trust show how peer-led reading support can transform lives : recovery in action .
Claire Brown , editor Keep in touch at www . drinkanddrugsnews . com and @ DDNmagazine
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