Mission

Druglink aims to have a significant and positive impact on the lives of those who use substances (drugs / alcohol), their families and the communities in which they live. Druglink achieves this by providing a range of both proactive and responsive services which target three key areas: Prevention, Recovery and Reintegration.

Category

Food

Additional Information

Set up as a charity in 1984, Druglink’s objective is to have a significant and positive impact on the lives of those who use substances (drugs / alcohol), their families and the communities in which they live.  Druglink achieves this aim by providing a diverse range of both proactive and responsive services, which target three key areas: Prevention, Recovery and Reintegration.  Druglink take an active role in education and currently run scheduled and bespoke training courses both locally and nationally to a diverse client base.  As part of their remit, Druglink’s training team currently service two externally funded projects:       School Awareness training       Diversion Schemes Druglink deliver a programme of effective and responsive training to the Mental Health and Substance Use workforce; service users and carers.  Our training team also provide substance use awareness education in schools, colleges, universities and businesses.  Additionally, Druglink facilitate community training sessions in partnership with UK Police Forces.  Druglink’s Diversion Schemes have been developed to reduce incidents of low-level offending by increasing peoples understanding of low-level offending related to misuse of a substance or to types of behaviour. Druglink view education as key to prevention. For those who have already been affected by substance use, whether their own or a family members’, Druglink run a number of projects aimed at easing and supporting recovery.  These currently consist of: the Oxygen Recovery Service, a person-centred, 9 bed, detox and rehabilitation unit in Hemel Hempstead; Clarendon Link, a drug support drop-in facility, offering a range of practical support and advice services (which include a needle exchange; access to shower and laundry facilities; basic food provision; access to complementary therapies; relapse prevention); Focus, a counselling service, specialising in addiction issues, based in Berkhamsted; Supporting Herts, a housing-related support service that aims to connect service users with the most appropriate community resources, helping to achieve stable housing and retain tenancies; and Outreach, a one-to-one service, providing individualised recovery support to people progressing towards harm minimisation and reduction or those who are abstaining from substances.                                 Druglink view personalised support as the key to Recovery.  Once in recovery, it’s essential for individuals to develop the skills and confidence needed to enable them to re-enter society.  Working with a number of other agencies and local businesses, Druglink provide service-users with a pathway from volunteering to paid work.  Reintegration is so vital for wellbeing and relapse prevention, that Druglink also set-up Coffee Ethic, a social enterprise.  Coffee Ethic, works in partnership with a host of organisations, including a number of local councils, Public Health England and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire.  The social enterprise provides ex-users with a route into sustainable work.  It is hoped that eventually, Coffee Ethic will generate enough revenue, to make Druglink entirely self-sufficient.  Coffee Ethic offers volunteers the ability to gain invaluable work experience and recognised, certificated training opportunities.    Druglink view community engagement as key to reintegration.