DrugScope Conference 2011 Delivering Drug and Alcohol Services: Rising to the Challenge

1. DrugScope Conference 2011Delivering Drug and Alcohol Services: Rising to the Challenge A Workforce for Recovery – into the Labyrinth Joy Barlow MBE STRADA (Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol)

2. Summary of Presentation • Who is the workforce for recovery? • What should the workforce do? • What does the workforce need? • Conclusions/questions

3. “I have taken on a road that looks true but has delivered me into the heart of a labyrinth” (Coetzee (1998) ‘Waiting for the Barbarians’

4. STRADA’s Statement on Recovery As a learning and development organisation STRADA will base its programmes on the following: • The recovery of people from lives dependent upon drug and alcohol misuse is key to the health and wellbeing of the individual, family, community and society • Such recovery will not be the same for any two people • Recovery-orientated systems of care will include a range of treatment options, family and community supports • Recovery may begin at any point at which an intervention is sought for the means of change in behaviour and attitude • Harm reduction advice is the key to the beginning of a process of change and development • People are the most important feature of this process – person-centred, strength based assessment is key • Learning and development programmes should include theory which is translated into practice • Such programmes should include ways of building social competence and recovery capital; family and community supports; meaningful relationships; a sense of purpose and meaning • Attitudes and values, associated with the work should be explored in all learning and development programmes • Confidence and competence should be key outcomes for all programmes

5. Multiple levels of workforce development intervention required to achieve work practice change

6. Universal, generic services + Specialist services + Mutual aid; peer support; family support; community support = The Workforce

7. What should the workforce do? (or rather what should it not do?) • Try to ‘recover’ an individual? • Be hidebound by ‘professionalism’? • Do what it has always done?

8. So what should it do? • Support, advocate and know when to stand back • Recognise strengths in the individual and in other services/supports • Be there! • Understand recovery; dilemmas; using knowledge to influence skills

9. So what’s different? • Competence not competencies • Relationships – whose power is it anyway? • More intangible, harder to define roles and responsibilities “bring yourself to work” • Concept of the Circle of Care

10. What does the workforce need still? • Knowledge, skills and theory into practice • Understanding of where we each fit around the person ‘in recovery’ • Behavioural competence • Opportunities to reflect on practice – engage the ‘light bulb moments’ • Use of research/evidence base • Management/commissioning support • Strategic direction

11. So back to the labyrinth • Where are we starting from? • Where do we need to get to? • Who do we journey with?

12. Conclusions and Questions • Ethically fraught decision-making • Role of qualifications and experience • Recognition of the dilemmas in recovery • Not a short term approach “No changed structures without changed cultures”

13. STRADA Contact Details • Telephone: 0141 330 2400 • Email: strada@gla.ac.uk • Website: www.projectstrada.org