About our Recovery Connector Team
Our specialist Recovery Connector team is made up of people with lived experience whose focus is supporting people in treatment to access community-based recovery support.
You can be at any stage of your recovery journey to access this team; the only criteria is for you to want to engage in structured recovery activities. Each Connector works in a designated area of Derbyshire so they can really know their local region and what support is available.
The Connectors will show visible recovery as they spend time getting to know you, exploring your existing skills, interests and hobbies, before linking you in with your local recovery support services, groups and activities.
Support will be available on a 1:1 and group work basis within community buildings, with opportunities for you to attend locally arranged activities. Frequency and level of contact will vary based on needs and can be a mixture of face to face, online and telephone.
The Recovery Connectors will work flexibly with you to signpost, refer and go with you to recovery projects, activities and mutual aid meetings within your local area. They will support you to reintegrate back into your local area, make new positive connections and build healthy recovery-based assets and foundations within your local community.
Our core group work programme is a recovery-focused 12-week course aimed at exploring a number of key topics, including:
- What Recovery means to you; reflecting on yourself, past and present behaviours and where you want to be moving forward
- Thoughts, feelings, behaviours; unpicking personal triggers, cravings, stressors and risky situations relationships and recovery networks
- Planning ahead; making positive changes and goal setting around healthy lifestyles, overcoming challenges and preventing relapse
You will learn new skills and gain essential tools to help you make and maintain positive changes to your drug/alcohol use and maintain recovery.
We also have a fantastic team of Recovery Volunteers who provide additional visible recovery and compliment the peer support available.
How to refer to a Recovery Connector
A. Are you already accessing treatment from the Derbyshire Recovery Partnership substance misuse service? If so, just ask your Key Worker to refer you to your local Recovery Connector.
B. Have you recently completed treatment with us and would like some additional support from a Recovery Connector? No problem, please contact us at our service's hub on 01246 206514 and we can refer you to your local Recovery Connector.
Where do our Recovery Connectors work?
Our four Recovery Connectors offer 1-2-1s and groups across Derbyshire, with one worker covering each area:
* Chesterfield and North East Bolsover District
* High Peak and North Derbyshire Dales
* Amber Valley and South Derbyshire Dales
* Erewash and South Derbyshire
Lived Experience Workforce Development
Are you interested in gaining skills, qualifications and experience in the field of substance misuse?
Within our Recovery Connector team we also have a designated worker with lived experience who supports people to gain skills, qualifications and experience within the field of drugs and alcohol. This worker will explore with you what skills you posses now and what you’d like to achieve.
This can involve us supporting you to complete qualifications with the Derbyshire Adult Centre of Education Services (DACES) that range from a commitment of 16-64 study hours, in substance misuse, peer mentoring and a volunteer passport.
The only criteria for this is to live in Derbyshire, have lived experience and a keenness to develop professional skills.
Want to volunteer?
Great! We can support you to apply for a volunteering position of your choice from one of the many organisations and recovery projects we work alongside or you may choose to apply for volunteering opportunities within our Derbyshire Recovery Partnership substance misuse service.
Join us on our Lived Experience Career Pathway. Find out more about this pathway here -Volunteer | Growing Recovery In Derbyshire
You can also watch our recorded Lived Experience Career Pathway Info Event here
Did you know we now also have Peer Support Groups on the last Friday of every month alternating between 10am-11.30am and 3.30pm-5pm to offer more choice for people and following feedback from attendees?
Upcoming dates:
Friday 28th Feb, 10am-11:30am
Friday 28th March, 3:30pm-5pm
Friday 25th April, 10am-11:30am
Friday 30th May, 3:30pm-5pm
Friday 27th June, 10am-11:30am
Here’s the details to join on Teams:
Meeting ID: 337 147 441 584
Passcode: cq23ZA3Y
Lived Experience Career Pathway
Other qualifications include:
Level 1 in Substance Misuse - DACES Q24OC1333 Drugs & Alcohol Awareness Level 1 (dacesderbyshire.org.uk)
Volunteer Passport
Suicide Awareness Award
Level 2 mentoring
Level 2 Award in Substance Misuse
….And many more!
What do we mean by Lived Experience?
Anyone with direct/indirect experience with drugs/alcohol
Derbyshire Recovery Partnership
We are here in a friendly and non- judgemental way to help you address your substance use and support you on your recovery journey. Our workers are trained to treat your primary
addiction whilst using a holistic approach to help you address other areas of your life that may also have a negative impact.
We will complete a comprehensive assessment of need and help you formulate a care plan that will assist you in taking control of your addiction and recovery. We have a range of activities available, including: 1-2-1s, Peer Support, Groups, Workshops, Recovery Through Nature and specialist teams.
Want to become a substance misuse practitioner?
Fantastic! We have a number of Trainee Drug and Alcohol Key Worker opportunities that you can apply for here: www.phoenix-futures.org.uk
Do you have lived experience? Do you want to gain skills, qualifications and experience in the field of drug and alcohol work? Then join us on our new Lived Experience Career Pathway.
We currently have opportunities to attend a level 1 in drug and alcohol qualification with Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service (DACES) - DACES Q24OC1333 Drugs & Alcohol Awareness Level 1 (dacesderbyshire.org.uk)
This qualification enables learners to develop a knowledge and understanding of the misuse of substances, including alcohol. Learners will also consider risk-taking behaviours associated with substance misuse that impact on health and wellbeing, whilst exploring prevention and resilience building. The topics learners cover are: What substances are commonly misused and why, Understand the personal and social effects of substance misuse, Understand the perceptions and responses to substance misuse and Understand ways to promote health choices and resilience building.
This qualification takes 8 weeks to complete and at the end of it learners will receive an accredited Level 1 in Substance Misuse qualification and certificate.