Dorset organisation gives people in recovery a voice to shape support services

A new independent group is giving people in Dorset with lived experience of drug and alcohol recovery the chance to shape the future of local support services. Dorset's new Lived Experience Recovery Organisation (LERO) known as CLARITY, is made up of individuals who have lived or living experience of recovery who are now helping to improve access, reduce stigma, and ensure services meet the needs of those who use them.

Effective and accessible services are essential for helping people who use drugs or alcohol to recover from addiction, which is a public health priority. To help meet this aim, Dorset Council’s Public Health Team commissioned Intuitive Thinking Skills to set up Dorset's new LERO.

The National Drug Strategy emphasises the importance of LEROs and their value within treatment systems and the Combating Drugs Partnership. Research also supports the use of lived experience to improve treatment outcomes and inform commissioning decisions.

Following the disbandment of the Dorset Service User Forum, there has been a gap for utilising real-life experiences of drug and alcohol treatment services. Intuitive Thinking Skills have been commissioned to bridge this gap by setting up a LERO in the Dorset Council area.

Councillor Gill Taylor, Cabinet Member for Housing and Health, said “Using a lived experience approach to influence and shape changes to treatment and recovery services supports our ambition to create healthier communities.

“We’re pleased to have CLARITY, Dorset’s Lived Experience Recovery Organisation who will help us to improve people’s lives and reduce drug and alcohol related harms.”

The first members of CLARITY have completed an Information, Advice and Guidance Ambassador qualification. This course has provided them with the skills and confidence to collaborate with the council and partners to enhance the drug and alcohol treatment system.

Rita Coppillie, Team Manager Southwest for Intuitive Thinking Skills said “I am thrilled to have helped set up CLARITY, a new Lived Experience Recovery Organisation for Dorset. It is such an exciting, innovative, and worthwhile project, giving people with lived experience a voice, and the opportunity to have a real and positive impact on services and service user engagement across the county.”

CLARITY will look to provide peer support, promote harm reduction interventions, seek the views of those who have used, are using or would benefit from using local drug and alcohol services and assist hard-to-reach groups in accessing support services. They aim to reduce stigma by working with community organisations, healthcare providers and others to build a compassionate approach to supporting people who use substances.

If you would like to find out more about Dorset’s Lived Experience Recovery Organisation and how you can support the group, email Rita Coppillie or CLARITY directly.

In the Dorset Council area, free and confidential support for drug and alcohol use and addiction is available from REACH. Call 0800 043 4656 or visit their website.