Peer programme offers hope
An innovative partnership between Ayrshire College and the South Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) is helping to transform the lives of those who have been affected by addiction.
The ADP Volunteer Peer Worker project running at the College’s Ayr Campus helps people in the community who have been impacted by alcohol or drug addiction - whether that’s their own personal addictions, or experienced through a family member or loved one – get to a position where they can help others.
The college and work-based programme takes people who have lived experience of addiction issues, and equips them with the skills and qualifications to support others in their recovery journey. People who enrol on the ADP Volunteer Peer Worker project will have an opportunity to work towards an SVQ qualification in Health and Social Care, once they complete a 26-week college course at Ayrshire College.
The course aims to build confidence in the students and teaches them basic IT skills to help prepare them for employment. Upon completion, the students move on to a volunteer work-based placement while they work towards their SVQ.
The volunteer placement involves the students working in local health and social care services and local recovery projects.
Stephen McLean, the ADP Peer Worker who co-ordinates the project, said “Many of the people on this project will have had years of social isolation, so the project helps develop basic skills, build confidence, and eventually support them into employment.
“Many of the students will achieve great things, I’m convinced of it. Working in partnership with Ayrshire College has provided a great opportunity for participants to complete a college course. Before accessing the course, a lot of participants thought college was ‘out of reach’ for them – but we’re on our 5th intake now and it’s been a great success.”
Three members of the last intake, Billy, Gavin and Romona, were in attendance to see the latest group of students graduate from the initial phase of the project and offer their advice ahead of their volunteer placements starting.
Gavin said “Before college I had a serious drug issue, I was in and out of prison and had no hopes or aspirations at all until I heard about this project. In my head I thought ‘no one’s going to employ me because of my criminal record’, but it was clearly explained to me that if you commit to the project and can show you have moved on with your life in a positive way, then it’s possible to move into work.
“This project is taking people who had chaotic lives in the past, and giving them a second chance. It’s given me a new life, and it’s also helped me give a little back. Before I started this project, I had no education. I didn’t know how to use computers and didn’t have a good knowledge of health and social care. Now I’m in full-time employment. I can’t speak highly enough of the peer project.”
Billy said “We’re here to let people know, through our experience, what can happen next. I love the fact that we can come through the College and re-assure others and let them know what the project did for us: it made us more confident, and gave us the ability to go on and do a job.
“You get out what you put in. The project has proved people wrong, people who didn’t think they would be able to do the job. There is light at the end of the tunnel - addiction isn’t the end. I’m now 19 years clean.”
Romona said “This project has benefitted me massively. I’d not worked for 10 years, and now I’m employed again with an SVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, which in the future should open more doors for me.
“Right now I’m supporting people along to recovery groups. I work more with females, I provide one-to-one support to people who are struggling. I also promote fitness, running a yoga group on a Friday.
“Sometimes I’m amazed at how far I’ve come. To be honest, I was really anxious about coming to college. However, through the support of everyone else in the class at the time, I was helped massively. Being in recovery, you’re going to have anxiety and stress. You’ve just got to work through it.”
Mark MacMillan, the Community Learning Facilitator at Ayrshire College who helps deliver part of the programme, said “This is a community partnership which has been expanded and made bespoke for the needs of the peers and South Ayrshire Council partners. I am immensely proud to have been part of helping to create something that is now a vehicle for those to build on their own personal journey and lived experience, and give back to those in the community who are in recovery.
“The peers are the reason I show up for work every day and inspire me to help make a difference in our community and they have proven that they are at the heart of this.”
13 February 2019
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