On the Cover...
6: Benefits Changes
12: Methamphetimine
14: Esther Wilson Interview
Features...
7: Tony Tear Drop
16: Legal Highs
17: Prison - What’s Available
19: Homelessness
22: Keeping Busy in Recovery
Regulars...
8: Spirituality
18: Book Reviews
20: Fun Section
25: Mutual Aid
Contents
Editorial
Dear Readers
Welcome to our inaugural edition of Recovery Rises online - produced by Genie In The Gutter service users.
From Drugs to Digital Inclusion' is a new Genie initiative funded by the Community Learning Innovation Fund which is managed by NIACE. Genie was one of 96 organisations selected from over 2000 applicants to receive Clif funds and the investment has already achieved some real positive outcomes for our service users, their families and the wider community. You can read more about these outcomes, the programme and view video blogs on pages 14 and 15. We have seen for ourselves here at Genie In The Gutter how effective digital inclusion programmes are, and the individual and wider outcomes that they produce, but digital inclusion is a much wider governmental initiative. AbilityNet, an organisation that grew out of IBM in the late 1980s; with current representation that includes IBM, BCS & Microsoft; have been a leading authority on accessibility and assistive technologies for over 20 years. They state that there is an urgent need to address the growing gap between what technology enables some of us to do, and the barriers that many people face when trying to complete the same digital tasks. They are also keen to recognise the significance of this gap in both social and economic terms. We hope this magazine, along with our site www.fromdrugstodigitalinclusion.co.uk, will offer you some real quantitive and qualitative evidence to back this
The articles, interviews and poetry etc have all been produced and carried out by our service users, with minimal input from the programmes staff and volunteers. Most service users had little or no IT experience on joining the courses which consist of 'Recovery Rises online magazine'; (You can watch the launch of this issue on page ?); Social Networking, recovery communities online support and computer assisted key working programmes. 'From Drugs to Digital Inclusion' can also be easily adapted for varying social groups including disability, older people and offenders. We would like to finish our first editorial by saying a massive thank you and well done to all the service users involved in producing this online magazine. Passing the message of recovery on to others and sharing your own experiences may be one of the best things you can do for your own personal development and recovery. We are proud.
From the Drugs to Digital Inclusion team.
Recovery Rises is produced by a not for profit organisation Genie In The Gutter as part of our D2DI course funded and managed by Niace. We are a bridge to recovery service that provides creative opportunities, training and support to active substance misusers.
Programme Manager: Lindsey Smyth
General Editor: David Lancaster
Image Editor : Stephen Walker
Interviewer 1: Anthony Sweeney
Interviewer 2: Nicola Dunn
Front Cover: Terry Doyle
News Editor: Graham Gordon
Fun Section: Michael Griffiths
Illustrations and design: Paul Hunt
Disclaimer:
Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of all publications. However the publisher cannot accept liability for loss, damage, omissions or inaccuracies for any advertisement or editorial. All opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily that of the publishers/editors.
Genie In The Gutter would also like to thank the following people for their contribution/s. CLIF, Niace, Ester Wilson, Cut to the chase productions, Frank McKay, Neil Napier, Christoper Leech, Jae Underhill, Dan, Mike, Sinead Bradshaw, Yasmin, Billy Moore, Steph Brindle, Paul Hunt, Peter Rainford, Nino, Janine Davies, Alena Slaninova,