SERVICES
AIMING HIGH
We are a local
charity
supporting
those
struggling
with
addiction across Essex and Kent.
Together with our main substance
misuse provisions, some of the
other projects we also deliver to
support vulnerable populations
include our work within a
specialised women’s refuge, the
Essex Appropriate Adult service, our
targeted housing support service
and our ‘SOS Bus’ services.
Mirroring previous articles on the
‘new normal’ of delivering substance
misuse provision at this time, the
pandemic and its restrictions have
had an unprecedented impact on all
our services and how we have been
able to evolve to continue supporting
those most vulnerable. While it’s
hard not to, rather than detail all
the amazing work our teams, wider
Even in the most difficult
circumstances recovery
is always possible, says
Jody Leach
treatment system partners and the
local community have undertaken to
help continue supporting our service
users, I feel it’s important to share
the voice of some of those service
users and examples of positive
recovery at this uncertain time.
COPING WITH CHANGE
For the majority of those we
support, change is not popular and
can be anxiety provoking at the best
of times. We have worked tirelessly
to help manage the imposed
uncertainty that the pandemic
has created, by continuing to offer
the structure and support that is
normally provided as standard. We
have been impressed with how our
service users have accepted and
adapted to the required changes
– not only have they worked with
us to support our teams, many
have told us that elements of our
new ways of working are actually
preferred to practices we had been
doing for some time. COVID-
19’s impact is tragic, but we are
indebted to our service users for
their investment in what we do to
share these valuable insights. The
following examples highlight how
the measures we have taken over
the last three months have been
experienced positively by those
using our services.
In response to many refuges
excluding those with substance
misuse needs, we deliver a
specialist service within a refuge to
ensure these vulnerable women are
supported into potential recovery.
One of our service users told us
that while being addicted at any
time in life was difficult, ‘adding
COVID-19 to the situation poses a
whole new dimension to overcome.
Having resided at a women’s refuge
since January, I have had first-hand
knowledge of the detrimental
effect COVID-19 has had on others.
Lockdown has taught me that I can
be patient and content with my
own company and it has pushed
me to try and learn new things.
‘I am very lucky to be working
with Open Road and my worker
has been nothing short of brilliant,’
she continued. ‘She has thought of
me at every turn and introduced
me to meetings all over the county,
including many new opportunities.
She is fully aware I am not a huge
fan of attending meetings, so
having Zoom meetings has actually
aided my recovery journey and
allowed me to meet others all over
the county in similar situations as
myself. The amount of pressure
Open Road have endured in the
current pandemic must have been
monumental, and without any
previous experience to draw on,
they have been fantastic.’
APPROPRIATE SERVICES
Our Appropriate Adult (AA) service
supports many held in custody with
additional substance misuse needs.
We are proud to have continued
delivering this crucial support
throughout the lockdown – despite
its challenges – thanks to the passion
and commitment of our teams. Essex
Police’s custody commander said of
the service, ‘Of a special note is the
fact that Open Road have continued
to provide support to detainees –
something that is almost unique in
my experience in the AA world at this
present time.’
Given the impact of the
lockdown on the night-time
economy, our usual SOS Bus
services have not been needed.
Instead, in collaboration with the
16 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • JULY/AUGUST 2020
WWW.DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS.COM