Our Future

How does our project actively involve as wide a range of people as possible?

All other services will be made aware of the project. It will be open to their service users & we aim to act as a signposting station to all other areas of support.

The group will be open to all members of the community that are affected by addictive behaviour. This includes 'affected others', those that are affected by an others addiction.

The group will be service user lead. It is an open group and Members' creative ideas' will be encouraged and all members' opinions & ideas are valid.

The most popular medium has been acrylic on canvas. However, we promote all forms of creativity in order to provide art that suits all tastes and have recently added 'digital' art to our resume to engage with younger people struggling with addiction and family members that may be struggling with an addict in their household.

Artists, Art Therapists & addiction specialists will be invited & encouraged to take workshops & meetings with the group.

We will focus on approaching businesses with Artwork. We will initially approach local business, including shops, cafes, restaurants and shopping centres. This will help other members of the public to engage in the art and the project.

Art will be available to view by the members, services and the public at any time online, through websites & social networking.

We will donate a minimum of 10 pieces of Art a year to local charities. These can be made available for auction, along with other works from the artists.

LONG TERM ASPIRATIONS

We have always involved our community in all major decisions, which has enabled us to create the kind of service that people in abstinence want.

We hold regular group meetings to discuss all decisions related to Creative Start and encourage inclusion and ownership on all of our project work.

The 'Recovery Community' adopting and maintaining this highly effective approach and ethos long term.

Weekly steering group meetings will be held at the premises to discuss all issues and suggestions related to the 'Recovery Community' so that it evolves into a service ideally suited to those in abstinence.

Our hope is that the success and impact of the 'Recovery Community' will inspire other similar services in North East Lincolnshire and beyond, such as Recovery cafes and Dry bars.

The 'Recovery Community' through attraction will become a meeting place for all people affected by addiction and seeking recovery. It will give hope to others in active addiction and their families and prove to the wider community that recovery is achievable.

Everyone coming through our Art in Recovery programme, when ready can be trained internally as peer mentors and given positions of trust within the 'Recovery Community'.

It is a long term aim to create a network of people with lived experience who can work together in order to run the service and eventually aim to hand the responsibility of the 'Recovery Community' over to those that are in long term recovery and have invested their time into making the service a success.

To this end, we work with members of our community to explore their options, and ensure they have the right advice to understand the responsibilities and requirements involved in continuing the recovery community.

This may involve getting advice on funding and governance, and support with issues like policies, health and safety and safeguarding.

It will also involve supporting negotiation and co-production with the commissioners and other agencies to create a viable agreement and a model that meets everyone's needs.

The legacy of the 'Recovery Community' is to create a fully self-sustaining independent service that has been designed and created by people in recovery, follows mutual aid, peer support and lived experience principles and helps and attracts future regeneration to the area.

It is a pioneering and unique creative space, drop in service and online platform that makes art, creativity and welcoming and accessible to everyone.

We aim to change the way recovery from addiction is viewed by the general public and help create a new recovery focus in the town.