90% of our London workforce recently came together to celebrate their work at Humankind’s London Regional Roadshow.
The first of the 2024 series of our Being Human Regional Roadshows took place in London on Tuesday 16 January and was attended by 90% of the organisation’s workforce from across the capital.
The day featured a series of speakers, including our CEO, Paul Townsley, who looked ahead to the future of the organisation as well as our Executive Medical Director, Dr. Roya Vaziri, who spoke about some of the great work happening across Humankind nationally.
There was also a focus on regional excellence and pride as the Director of London and South, Lyndsey Morris, celebrated the region’s progress and other people shared their proudest moments from the previous year.
The purpose of the event was to bring together professionals from the region to share ideas, celebrate the successes and look forward to the future.
Tom Colley from the Pier Road Project spoke about his experiences working with the innovative Ketamine Project in Bexley. There were other presentations from Liz Legge and Anita Leslie about the work of Lewisham Primary Care Recovery Service (PCRS) and Alison Beeton-Hilder who talked about some of the work which is taking place in our Better Lives Family Service in Islington.
As part of the celebrations, Lee Wilson, Regional Director, and Dr. Roya Vaziri gave out individual awards to colleagues who received the most recognition over the last year. Collective awards for team performances in the region were also handed out.
The day featured a number of interactive sessions for people to meet their colleagues and share learning from across Humankind’s services.
Director for London and South, Lyndsey Morris, said:
“It was great to see our staff from across the region come together to receive recognition and celebrate the great work that we do. Having some of the services showcase what they do reminds us of our impact on the people accessing our services and how we can best support them to have the best possible chance in life.”
Our Step Forward Tees Valley (SFTV) programme has been praised for its success in supporting people, contributing significantly to the local economy, and improving the overall well-being of the community it served.
A recent evaluation report highlighted the initiative’s significant impact on the people it directly supported and the broader Tees Valley area. SFTV engaged with the hardest-to-reach, supporting people with multiple disadvantages to moving toward employment, education, and training, providing support to address barriers, including lack of financial skills, digital exclusion, isolation and health and well-being.
Empowering communities through employment, education, and training
Established in 2016, SFTV provided crucial support to 4,448 participants with 610 participants successfully gaining employment. The impact the programme has generated for participant-centred employment and skills support represents a return on investments amounting to £2.63 per £1 in economic costs*, saving money for the local area, government, and ultimately the tax-payer.
The impact of SFTV, however, extends far beyond economics. The programme has played a vital role in removing barriers for people who accessed its support. Improved confidence, reduced isolation, and enhanced skills are quoted as being among the key factors contributing to people’s ability to secure employment and advance in their careers. The total social value generated by SFTV is estimated at £84,991,691.
The power of partnerships for holistic support
One of the key strengths of SFTV was its strong network of partners, offering participants access to complementary support from multiple organisations. Participants highly commended the training courses, mental health support provided, and effective information sharing between partner organisations.
Following support from SFTV, four out of five participants (81%) reported an improved understanding of their barriers to employment and how to overcome them, and more than 70% of participants reported increased communication and social skills.
Building confidence and skills for independence
While not all participants attained employment, the SFTV legacy means many were left with newfound skills and confidence. SFTV equipped people with the tools they needed for independent job search, with CV writing and the completion of application forms highlighted as being particularly valuable, leading to an increased sense of empowerment when advancing their employment opportunities.
Positive outcomes
Many participants attributed a range of positive outcomes to the support they had received from SFTV, with the majority reporting feeling more confident in taking on new activities and more positive about the opportunities available.
These findings indicate that SFTV’s support has enhanced employment prospects and contributed to participants’ overall resilience and well-being.
Health and wellbeing
The importance of the mental health support provided by SFTV cannot be understated, especially in the context of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Rising costs of living, increased anxiety, and social isolation have created a pressing need for mental health support. SFTV filled this gap by providing social support, reducing loneliness, and helping individuals regain a structured routine, all of which are critical factors in improving mental health outcomes.
Research indicates a clear link between mental health and financial difficulties, a connection emphasised by national research and evident among SFTV participants. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis further underscores the need for continued and expanded support in this area.
The future for Tees Valley
The evaluation demonstrates that SFTV and similar projects are key to improving the challenges faced by people and communities in the Tees Valley area. Its work has generated substantial economic and social benefits for the area and country at large.
As the cost-of-living crisis persists, the continuation of initiatives like SFTV will serve as a lifeline for individuals, fostering resilience and empowering individuals to overcome the challenges they are facing to realise their potential.
Humankind opens its first employment focussed drug and alcohol support service in South London
Jasmine Rocks
We have launched our first-ever London employment-focused drug and alcohol support service in the boroughs of Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark.
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services work with people recovering from drug or alcohol dependence and local employers to help those in need of support back into work at the start of their recovery. In addition to a wage, work can support recovery and can give people purpose and the opportunity to build new friendships and connections that can help them move away from drug and alcohol use.
IPS provides intensive, personalised support, starting with a rapid job search to help people find and choose the right job for them and stay in the role. By using a personalised approach to support, IPS helps people find paid jobs that suit their skills and interests within just weeks of being referred to the service. A key component of our IPS model is the ongoing support provided to ensure that once a service user enters the workforce, they are supported to stay in their role and build a life around it. Our IPS staff also work alongside employers, helping them to meet their recruitment needs and offering ongoing support throughout the employment period.
Cllr Jim Dickson and Cllr Marcia Cameron, Lambeth’s Cabinet Members for Healthier Communities, said: “We are pleased to welcome the Individual Placement Support initiative to Lambeth. It is an important investment in our communities and we believe is the right way to make a real difference in the lives of those suffering the often hugely damaging impacts of addiction.
“Substance abuse not only damages individuals’ lives but also harms families and our wider communities. With specialist and trained workers in place, we will be able to now support some of our most vulnerable residents into employment which will help sustain their recovery and make positive change in their lives.”
Christine, one of our service users who was supported through the IPS scheme said: “All of this has changed my life for the better. I’m busy now and I’m making my own money and learning new skills. I love interacting with the residents in the care home and I feel good knowing that I’m helping others. The support I received once I started work was really useful as without it, I may have ended up quitting because of any small stress factor. I’d definitely tell anyone to get help from IPS as the support is ongoing and so you’ll be more likely to get and keep a job.”
Now district councils from Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham have all teamed up to tackle drug use and alcoholism in South London by commissioning us to provide a new service. We have extensive experience and a track record of producing excellent long-term results through other IPS schemes in various areas of the country including Leeds, Gateshead, and Cumbria.
Our Director of Operations for London, Lyndsey Morris, said: This is an exciting new opportunity for people that use our services in Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. Having employment can be a key part of the recovery process, providing a reason to get out of bed in the morning and boosting confidence, motivation, and financial independence. We have seen the transformative effect that IPS has had in other areas and our own fantastic team of trained employment specialists are looking forward to delivering this programme as part of an integrated approach to people’s recovery journey.”
Seamus Costello the borough Lead for Lambeth Addictions Consortium for South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said: “As part of our Consortium’s ongoing commitment to deliver excellent treatment and support for our clients, we are delighted to share Humankind’s ambition to ensure all service users have the opportunity to flourish in their communities, with help from Humankind’s introduction of an exciting new IPS programme across three South London boroughs.”
We are delighted to welcome the Northumberland Recovery Partnership (NRP) service into Humankind from 1 October 2023. Northumberland Recovery Partnership is a dedicated service for anyone in Northumberland aged 18+ who is experiencing problems with drugs and/or alcohol.
The service offers a range of support provided by medical staff, nurses, and dedicated Recovery Navigators. This includes community-based recovery programmes, help to stay physically healthy, and support with people’s next steps into employment, housing and better health. Twenty three staff and 4 volunteers are transferring to Humankind.
Christine Hutchinson, Director of Community Substance Misuse Services with Humankind said “We are really looking forward to working with CNTW to deliver high quality services to the people of Northumberland”
The service will continue to provide the same range of effective, evidence-based support and wherever possible, people will continue to be supported by the same staff. The main change is to the non-residential rehabilitation service, currently the Oaktrees program / building. Going forward, this will be delivered using Humankind’s Recovery Academy, a bespoke recovery programme tailored to offer a range of recovery options. This will build on the existing recovery services, ensuring recovery is open and accessible to all from the start of peoples’ recovery journey.
Likewise launches to support people in Sheffield with drug and alcohol issues
Jack Keery
A new service aiming to support people who have issues with alcohol and other drugs across the city of Sheffield will open its doors on 1 August 2023.
Likewise, which has been commissioned by Sheffield City Council, is a partnership between national charity Humankind and Project 6. The service will provide free, confidential, and non-judgemental support to people who need it.
Likewise is the second service Humankind has launched in partnership with Project 6, after New Vision Bradford opened its doors across the Bradford District in April 2023. Project 6 has been providing support to individuals and families affected by substance use and experiencing multiple disadvantage in Sheffield for over 40 years.
Every Humankind service across the country that has been inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has been rated either ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’, including its services across Yorkshire.
Greg Fell, Director of Public Health, Sheffield City Council said: “Sheffield City Council are delighted to be working alongside Humankind to deliver the new service Likewise, which will play a vital role in supporting individuals and communities in Sheffield impacted by drug and alcohol use.
We have seen the impact Humankind have had regionally and nationally and are very excited to be in partnership with them to deliver the goals set out in the National Drug Strategy ‘From Harm to Hope’.”
Emily Todd, Humankind Regional Director, said: “We are proud to be increasing the support Humankind offers to people across the country and in Yorkshire.
“With the local expertise of Project 6, feedback received from people we will be supporting and our workforce, and the extensive preparation that has been put in to launching the new service, we know we are in a strong position to make an incredibly positive impact on the overall health, wellbeing and safety of the Sheffield community.”
Vicki Beere, Project 6 CEO, said: “We are very pleased to be working alongside a partner in Humankind, with a track record of delivering exceptional services across our region. We look forward to this opportunity to build upon our years of experience developing community-rooted projects to ensure more people across our city have access to support and recovery services when they need them.”
Likewise will offer a range of support including harm reduction, recovery navigation, clinical and therapeutic interventions. The service will also provide support for family members and continue to work with people in longer term recovery to help them create a healthy and meaningful life.
“I am so happy to be back at work and in a job I love” – employment support scheme in the spotlight
Jack Keery
A scheme which supports people in recovery to find permanent employment was celebrated last week in South Tyneside and Gateshead.
The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) programme provides support to people over the age of 16 who have experienced issues with drugs and alcohol. Finding meaningful employment can significantly help with a person’s recovery from drug and alcohol use, so this innovative programme is a great addition to local services and an integral part of a person’s recovery journey.
Sitting within the commissioned Substance Misuse Treatment Service of South Tyneside and covering both South Tyneside and Gateshead localities, Humankind’s South Tyneside and Gateshead IPS scheme is the first of its kind in the UK to be hosted across two local authorities.
Since it was established in October 2021, the service has worked with 154 people providing dedicated, tailored support and advice in their search for rewarding employment. The team also offers in-work support for both employees and employers to ensure that the employment can be sustained.
Dame Carol Black, whose landmark Independent Review of Drugs led to the publication of the cross-government drug strategy ‘From Harm to Hope’, attended the celebration event. Also in attendance were Councillor Anne Hetherington, Lead Member for Adults, Health and Independence at South Tyneside Council, and Alice Wiseman and Tom Hall, Directors for Public Health for Gateshead and South Tyneside respectively.
Dame Carol Black’s review highlighted that, alongside treatment, meaningful activity makes an important contribution to sustaining recovery from drug use. There is considerable evidence that employment can improve treatment outcomes, reduce the frequency and severity of relapse, and reduce re-presentations to services.
The Gateshead and South Tyneside programme has been described as “one of the standout teams among the new areas.”
A person who has been supported by the service said they would “highly recommend this programme to anyone accessing services, who is looking to work and maintain employment in the future. The advice and support I have been given has made me realise that change is not impossible and with the right encouragement and help pointing you in the right direction a positive change can be achieved.”
Another said that “the support I have received has been phenomenal… I am so happy to be back at work and in a job I love.”
Councillor Hetherington said: “This programme is an absolute trailblazer. Providing support to help people find and stay in employment is an integral part of the recovery journey and I’m delighted that people who want to work are being given this opportunity. This fits well with our vision of helping people in South Tyneside to live healthy, happy and fulfilled lives.
“It is fantastic that Individual Placement Support is giving people confidence and motivation. As a result of this project, more people can now look forward to even brighter futures.”
Gateshead’s Director of Public Health Alice Wiseman said: “This event is about celebrating the successes of the amazing recovery community that we have in our local area. The IPS programme plays a key role in equipping individuals with the skills and self-esteem needed to secure rewarding roles, which helps people stay well in their recovery as good employment improves health and wellbeing in many ways. Obviously having an income and financial stability is important, but good work also offers more social interactions and a sense of identity and purpose.
“Celebrating these successes both shows people who are struggling with addiction that there is light at the end of the tunnel, as well as helping to tackle the stigma surrounding addiction, which is one of the biggest barriers to people seeking support.”
To support recovery and the movement from treatment into work, the government is investing a further £21 million to roll out IPS for people in drug or alcohol treatment across England by the end of 2024/25. This brings the total funding for this new programme to over £39 million across the next three years.
After initially launching as a Government pilot project at Humankind’s service in Staffordshire, we have now been commissioned to deliver the programme in South Tyneside and Gateshead, Durham, Cumbria, Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale and Barnsley.
National Apprenticeship Week 2023 takes place from Monday 6 February to Sunday 12 February. With both Dame Carol Black’s Independent Review and the national drug strategy, ‘From Harm to Hope’, singling out workforce development as a national priority and essential criteria for success, we are taking the opportunity to highlight the achievements and aspirations of the 45 apprentices at our charity.
Across our County Durham Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service, Liaison and Diversion, and Crisis teams, there are 15 apprentices with lived experience of drug and alcohol use, recovery, mental health, or experience of the criminal justice system completing a Level 2 in Adult Care.
These apprentices were specifically recruited for their unique experiences, each bringing empathy, understanding and a range of skills to the role, which benefits the people accessing these services, our national charity, and the wider charity sector.
Ben Fidler, a Peer Apprentice in recovery in the County Durham Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service, shared his journey, from volunteering to his apprenticeship, and how it increased his self-confidence.
“Humankind’s positive approach to interviewing makes you feel like they are wanting to learn about you and your worth as a person,” Ben commented. “They go the extra mile to find the right person, and it feels great when that person is you! It is a really refreshing outlook.”
Another apprentice with lived experience commented that “I have always been passionate about mental health and helping others, and through this apprenticeship, being able to help others makes me feel there is a more positive outcome from my own experiences.”
We have seen great success within our apprentice programme. Nine out of sixteen who started in entry level positions after completing Level 2 or 3 apprenticeships are still employed in permanent positions. The apprenticeships have provided the others with the tools to make a positive impact in new roles.
George Bell began his journey with us as a volunteer before becoming a Peer Support Apprentice in March 2020. He described his apprenticeship experience as a great way to learn new skills and knowledge while being part of the team, and excelled in his role, securing a permanent position first as a Peer Support Worker and now as Peer Mentor and Volunteer Coordinator in the Tees Crisis Team.
Of his experience, George said, “The wider team were all very supportive and encouraging which is great for confidence building and also getting great shadowing experiences with different members of the team.”
Each apprentice at Humankind participates in on-the-job learning to gain the skills and experience required to develop their career within a supportive environment. Their work makes a real difference to the lives of people we support every day.
The programme covers a range of apprenticeship standards, including Adult Care, Finance and Customer Service among others. The apprenticeship standards studied support our different services across the country, from community drug and alcohol treatment to corporate services.
As well as apprenticeships for people looking to begin their career journey within the charity sector, over half of the apprenticeship learners were already employed by us and requested to complete an apprenticeship for their own personal development.
This includes 11 managers studying towards a Level 5 apprenticeship in Operations Management with Activate Business School. Feedback so far has been positive, and the organisation will support more managers to study towards the Level 5 Operations Management apprenticeship in the future. The apprenticeship is delivered remotely, fitting around the workdays of the learners.
Roxanne Dark, Service Manager at Humankind’s Staffordshire Treatment and Recovery Service (STARS) said, “The level 5 apprenticeship has given me the ability to stay in the role I enjoy while working towards my future in the same working environment. It has helped me in my role as I feel I am a better manager and I think in different ways now.”
We work with seven different training providers who deliver apprenticeships in varied ways, including with online platforms and face-to-face learning in a higher education or workplace setting.
In addition to Activate Business School, these providers include Darlington College, East Durham College, Impact Futures, Kaplan Financial Ltd, New College Durham, and Teesside University.
The apprenticeship programme is overseen by Humankind’s Talent Development Manager, Katie Woodward. Katie’s role involves developing the apprenticeship offer while working closely with services to identify current and future workforce trends.
“The most rewarding part of the role,” Katie says, “is the opportunity to support our workforce, from volunteers to managers, to develop their skills and careers every day.”
Apprentice Success at Humankind’s Teesside Crisis Peer Support Service
Jack Keery
Four apprentices from Humankind’s Teesside Crisis Peer Support service based at our Home Intensive Treatment hubs have secured future employment after working with the support service for over a year.
Our Teesside Crisis Peer Support service provides people with additional support if they are accessing the mental health crisis service, working alongside mental health teams, doctors and consultants.
Peer supporters are people who have had lived experience of mental health issues and offer both practical and listening support, as well as the chance to talk to others who may be experiencing similar issues.
The apprentice roles were advertised for people with lived experience of mental health issues, and six apprentices have been in post for over twelve months. Two have now gained employment with the NHS and two have undertaken support roles within Humankind’s Drug & Alcohol services helping dual diagnosis clients, whilst two others are still carrying out their roles as part of the Home Intensive team.
Janet Serginson, Assistant Director for the North East at Humankind and Manager of the service said:
“We’re extremely pleased with the success of the Crisis Peer Support Service and are delighted that four apprentices have secured employment.
We’re hoping to be successful in the future to support Crisis Mental Health Services users with this critical peer programme that has helped to support so many people overcome a difficult time in their lives.”
Meanwhile, five apprentices from Humankind’s Teesside Crisis Peer Support, based in the Home Intensive Treatment hubs, have been recording their experiences in work journals that shed a new light on how they are progressing.
Their diary entries offer an interesting insight into the work they have supported and how it has helped to develop their skills. The peer apprentices have been encouraged by Eileen Greaves of the Teesside Crisis Peer Support to keep reflective journals that comment on their improvement over the time they have learning.
“I’m absolutely delighted that our students have achieved so much,” Janet Serginson continued. “Their sense of enjoyment and achievement really stands out and we’re really happy that the apprentice scheme has provided them all with the foundations to build a rewarding career.”
The apprentice comments can be read below:
“I’m now coming near to the end of my apprenticeship and hoping to be in a position as a support worker. I would recommend this apprenticeship to others that have been in my position because, before I started this, I recovered from my mental health a very long journey and had 6 years of believing that I was unemployable – how wrong I was.” – Steven Moolgaoker
“The apprenticeship gave me light and hope when I didn’t believe I could make the changes I needed to in my recovery. The apprenticeship has been life changing for me and it has allowed me to overcome so many obstacles I thought I couldn’t.” – Ellie Wallbank
“I feel this is only the beginning of my journey and what a fantastic start to have. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity as I had mental ill health and being in my early sixties never thought this opportunity would be open to me, Humankind are an inclusive organisation and have shown me I can achieve my dreams.” Colin Wood
“Professionally I have learned so many skills and been responsible for my own work and working alongside professionals I would have never had that opportunity. The opportunities have been incredible but as well as that I have gained a qualification while working my way up into a paid role. Humankind have given me this opportunity and a second chance whilst using my own lived experience.” George Bell
“I didn’t think I’d ever work again or be able to hold a job down but each day I’m proving myself wrong and can feel myself continuing to grow as a person.” Callum O ‘Keeffe
We are delighted to reveal that Humankind has been successful in retaining our Investing in Volunteers award for a third time.
Humankind first gained the award in 2015 and underwent our second renewal in August 2021, demonstrating our commitment to volunteering as a national charity.
“Supporting volunteers runs throughout all Humankind’s teams, services, and projects, and is embedded in the organisation’s ethos and values.”
Our assessor sought evidence against six quality areas: vision, planning, inclusion, recruitment and induction, support, and valuing and developing volunteers.
Evidence was gathered through a self-assessment, a portfolio and three days of interviews. Twenty-six volunteers shared their experience of volunteering at Humankind.
“I have better support here than all the jobs I’ve ever had, the staff here that go that extra mile – fantastic.”–Humankind volunteer
As an organisation, we take great pride in our Volunteer Programme and our offer to each individual volunteer.
“We are definitely made to feel part of the team, all the staff and all the volunteers are great, it feels like I’m part of a really big, happy family.”– Humankind volunteer
As Humankind have invested in support for people’s wellbeing, we have done the same for volunteers. This was recognised during the assessment, which stated:
“There is recognition that the continuous support volunteers enjoy has a huge positive impact on the recruitment of volunteers, their wellbeing, their personal development, retention of volunteers, and their feeling of being valued.”
We want to give a huge thank you to our Volunteer Coordinators, Leads and Supervisors for delivering an award winning Volunteer Programme!
Humankind’s 2020/21 Volunteer Programme at a glance:
• We appointed 97 new volunteers.
• Our volunteers have kindly given 10,604 hours of their own time to support others – that’s 209 hours every week of the year!
• 17 of our volunteer leavers left to enter education, training or employment.
• 7 (41%) of those who entered employment accepted roles within Humankind services.
Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care, and backed by Public Health England, the Humankind STARS (Staffordshire Treatment and Recovery Service) was one of the first areas to deliver IPS (Individual Placement and Support) in community drug and alcohol treatment, from 1st April 2020 – 31st March 2021. Humankind has subsequently been awarded new contracts to deliver IPS in Leeds, South Tyneside and Gateshead, and Cumbria, while continuing our work in Staffordshire.
IPS is a ground-breaking employment programme which provides people with intensive support to find stable employment tailored to their individual needs.
STARS oversaw 87 enrolments into the IPS service during this time, with 55% of those subsequently finding suitable employment, despite the extra challenges faced by jobseekers throughout the pandemic.
While warehouse logistics and customer service/retail positions comprised the majority of those obtained by STARS’s IPS participants over the last financial year, job starts also spanned industries like health and social care, driving, administration/legal, production, trade, and cleaning.
The Staffordshire scheme even secured a stable self-employment route for a participant who needed to fit working hours around their family life after years of being paid in beer and food working in the “grey economy” with no permanent address.
It is hoped that the successful rollout of the IPS scheme within Humankind’s drug and alcohol services in Leeds, South Tyneside and Gateshead, and Cumbria will have a transformative impact on our ability to provide employment support to people who access them, while underlining the need for a multifaceted approach to treatment.
Humankind CEO, Paul Townsley, said:
“The success of STARS’s IPS work embodies Humankind’s mission to help people tackle their drug and alcohol use, not just through treatment, but also by paying attention to the social and economic factors which may hamper their road to recovery.”
Rosanna O’Connor, Director of PHE’s Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco and Inclusion Health Division, said:
“We’ve seen over the last few years the transformative effect of helping people into jobs that they want to do. This can include financial independence, improved health and wellbeing, and the chance to develop supportive social networks.
“The expansion of Individual Placement and Support will enable more people to access this intensive, skilled but, above all, client-led form of employment support.”
Minister for Welfare Delivery, Will Quince, said:
“We know that drug and alcohol users in existing treatment, along with other disadvantaged groups, can face additional barriers when looking for work.
“The IPS scheme clearly shows people’s prospects of finding work can be improved, which in turn can lead to sustained recovery from drug use.
“We are delighted to be working with Humankind STARS to increase the availability of this highly personalised and intensive employment support in Staffordshire, and across the UK.”
IPS has eight key characteristics that distinguish it from most other forms of employment support:
Paid employment secured in the competitive job market is the goal.
It is open to all those who want to work.
It aims to support people to find work that matches their preferences and interests.
Job search and contact with employers are initiated quickly, within 4 weeks.
IPS is embedded in and integrated with the treatment services.
The IPS specialists engage directly with employers, building relationships to benefit their clients.
It provides individualised unlimited support to the participant and their employer.
Participants are given expert advice around welfare benefits to enable them to make informed decisions about work.
