The North Yorkshire Horizons Telephone Recovery Service (TRS) was designed to enhance service provision, help increase abstinence rates and reduce alcohol and drug use.
It is made up of a small team of dedicated volunteers who give their time each week, working flexibly to meet the needs of individual clients. Our volunteers act as voices of recovery and have now given up their valuable time to help support over 100 people.
Having someone to speak to with lived experience of addiction helps people open up and receive support without a fear of judgement.
The calls are there not to replace the vital work carried out by key workers, but instead to work as an additional layer of support to those already engaging in the service. The combination of the two creates greater opportunities to see visible recovery as something possible and maintain a person's motivation towards achieving their goal.
"The TRS has been extremely helpful for my clients. I have seen positive changes in clients after having engaged with the additional support. Clients are extremely grateful of the volunteers, as am I. For many clients the most difficult thing is to begin to believe that recovery is possible, and volunteers having personal experience brings something to the table which not all experienced drug and alcohol workers have."
The TRS offers a convenient way for clients to gain extra support in their recovery, from the comfort of their own home, reducing the isolation, geographical barriers and cost in travel and time, that many of our clients face living in rural North Yorkshire.
"Your contact has helped me big time this week, I'm sure its a huge support keeping me focussed, a major part in my recovery."
The TRS is a flexible role, which provides a great opportunity for our volunteers to develop their existing skills set whilst supporting clients with a listening ear.
Training for the role includes
- Safeguarding
- Confidentiality
- Professional boundaries
- Exploring conversation starters
- Using open ended questions, active listening skills and wellbeing strategies.
Each volunteer has been provided with a work phone and laptop, to help manage their caseload of clients, whom they check in with each week, before completing a call log that is sent to Key Workers.
Volunteer Coordinator, Becks Tait says:
"I'm incredibly grateful for the commitment of all our volunteers at NYH. We have many roles for volunteers, but the TRS is a really special one, where they each bring something unique to the team. The feedback we get from both Key Workers and those using the service is incredibly positive and proves how valuable it is to have lived experience in recovery."
Two TRS volunteers have progressed into paid roles within North Yorkshire Horizons and the team continues to go from strength to strength, developing in both skills and confidence.
Learn more about North Yorkshire Horizons.
