COMMENT
SUSTAINING THE FUTURE
Phoenix Futures chief executive
Karen Biggs sets out the thinking
behind the charity’s new strategy
The work we do at
Phoenix leads to change.
Our services span a wide
spectrum and meet
the unique individual
needs of people – whatever their
hopes and ambitions for themselves
or their family’s future. In 2014
we worked with staff, external
stakeholders and people who use
our services to create a set of values
and beliefs. We thought carefully
about these as we wanted them to
be our compass, guiding our day-today
work and our decision making:
we are passionate about recovery,
we value our history, and we believe
in being the best.
These values have served us well
in the last six years – they set out
what we expect of ourselves and
each other – and this year we are
launching our new strategy,
Sustainable recovery. It has three
broad areas of focus which build
on the work of the last strategy,
Confident about recovery – we will
continue to deliver and develop
services that sustain recovery, we
will ensure we have the skills and
resources to sustain delivery, and
we commit to making a sustainable
difference in the world.
Our psychosocial expertise
has been vital through the COVID
pandemic, and in the coming year
we will be continuing to develop
our expertise in a wider range
of multiple and complex needs
including trauma and mental
health. There will be specific
projects on diversity and inclusion
and health and wellbeing. We will
also be looking at how we maintain
our values and culture in the new
remote world.
That new world has to be a
sustainable world, and we are
committed to making a difference.
Last year I posed a question – could
we be carbon neutral? The very
bright and energetic minds in
Phoenix said yes, so we started to
put a plan together to achieve it.
Last year we reduced our carbon
emissions by 27 per cent, and
we will be able to declare carbon
neutral status in November 2020.
The thinking that created the
sustainable recovery strategy came
before the pandemic, but now seems
more relevant than ever. People’s
lives will continue to change and we
will start to create a new Phoenix
normal. It will be a challenge but
our guiding principles and our
energy and commitment will help
to create truly sustainable recovery.
RECOVERY COORDINATOR
STRONGER FAMILIES KEY WORKER
PHARMACIST INDEPENDENT PRESCRIBER
THINK FAMILY LEAD PRACTITIONER
GROUP FACILITATOR
SPECIALIST DUAL DIAGNOSIS NURSE
ADDICTION SPECIALITY DOCTOR
ERRATUM: In Jody Leach’s article
(DDN, July/Aug, p17) we explained
the acronym OCAN incorrectly.
It should have read Offenders with
Complex and Additional Needs
and we apologise to the author
for our error.
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WWW.DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS.COM SEPTEMBER 2020 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • 21