What’s your role and what does a typical day look like for you?

I am Start Recovery Community and Volunteer Coordinator. My role is very varied, and no two days are the same. Currently my day involves supporting those in recovery, both in house and members of the wider recovery community, promoting the service, engaging those still in treatment, overseeing volunteers and peers, arranging training, liaising with other services to promote Start.

I also attend a wide range of events, organising National Recovery Month each September, organising various activities such as sports sessions, volunteer courses, social evenings, running SMART Recovery meetings in the community amongst other things.

The aim is to promote visible recovery in Hartlepool, showing people that Recovery is a realistic and achievable goal and reducing stigma.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the progression in people. I am in the very fortunate position to see lots of people enjoying the gifts of Recovery, reclaiming their lives and moving on. 

I am still in touch with people who have successfully addressed their substance use and are now making positive contributions to the recovery community, substance misuse services and Hartlepool. I’m fortunate that I get to work alongside some of these people as colleagues.

What inspired you to work for a drug and alcohol service?

I am in recovery myself. I was a heroin addict for 15 years and during that time accessed Hartlepool services and I now work in the same treatment centre I used to access myself.

I am now approaching 11 years heroin free but started as a peer, then a volunteer before gaining my first position in harm reduction and needle exchange. I have had several different roles in that time before starting this role two years ago.

What’s one thing people might not know about your role?

The variety of different people we get to support. It is not at all like people imagine. we get to see some truly wonderful and miraculous things and I can’t really think if another working environment where that can be said.

What does ‘Breaking the stigma’ mean to you?

It means normalising accessing support for substance use without shame of embarrassment.

There can’t be many families who haven’t been affected by substance use, either directly or indirectly. As well as destigmatising we also need to demystify some of the stereotypes around addiction, substance use and the people who access support.

There has never been so much available in Hartlepool, and we need to try and ensure that people feel confident and able to attend and get the support they need.

Why do you think it’s important to encourage people to seek help and support

It is important that people access support at the earliest opportunity so they can address it quicker.

Substance use is usually a symptom of something else be that trauma, mental health issues, increased susceptibilities, and people use substances as a way to cope. Once people access the support they can identify and start to address the things that may have needed to be addressed in the first place.

We have fantastic services here in Hartlepool and I can guarantee that if people access them and engage, they have a much better chance of success.