In Brief

· We are supporting the development of a new ‘Gateways’ (North-West and Trafford) model across 10 prisons & the surrounding communities in the North-West.

· The model is aimed at supporting people serving short-term prison sentences who have problems with drugs and/or alcohol.

· We’re working together to understand how ABCD can inform approaches to recovery & rehabilitation.

· Our work in the North-West and Trafford has been about promoting conversations on ABCD and how an ABCD can make a difference to community returners and to communities.

· We have delivered local ABCD workshops with people in recovery, residents, workers from services, members of faith and community groups across the North-West and Trafford.

· We are also participants in a local ABCD Interest Group, which brings together a number of people from the North-West and Trafford who have an interest in ABCD.

A bit more about Gateways

· The model has a strong peer support component; people with lived experience of recovery and/or the criminal justice system supporting each other.

· On one of our sites in the North-West, we are also aiming to work with communities and residents on community fun days to share ideas on how communities can be more welcoming places for people returning to them from prison.

· It has a strong focus on:

1. Supporting people to take part in & develop positive networks of friends.

2. Finding & maintaining safe & secure homes.

3. Gaining the training & experience needed to find & maintain jobs.

Our work on Through the Gate in in the North West is now drawing to a close. Mark has led several ABCD workshops to professionals, Emerging Futures Recovery Coaches, and people in recovery.

Cormac has also delivered sessions in Manchester and Paul Macey will be supporting people in recovery and Recovery Coaches to do community building in their own communities.

In Trafford Mark has led ABCD workshops in Chorlton with a mixed audience of professionals, citizens and people accessing drug and alcohol services.

Paul also delivered sessions with staff from AIM: Trafford.

Chris will be also supporting our work in Trafford.

@hopenortheast. Heads down. Hard at work. Great #ABCD knowledge and curiosity here in Middlesbrough @NurtureDev pic.twitter.com/soUHCHApjL

— Mark Stephenson (@MarkSteph001) June 12, 2015

At Middlesbrough, Nurture Development Associate Mark Stephenson delivered a one day ABCD workshop. This was followed up by another one day session by Associate Paul Macey, with staff from the local substance treatment agency AIM. The remaining five days of the project will be undertaken in the community by Chris. Cormac will also be visiting Trafford in October. It’s a team effort!

I have 7 one day ABCD workshops booked in across North East & North West for @NurtureDev in January. All those people I have yet to meet!!! — Mark Stephenson (@MarkSteph001) November 26, 2015

Some examples of community action in North-West and Trafford

In Middlesbrough we are working with our friends, Martyn and Dot, at Hope North East. We facilitated a workshop with workers and volunteers in the summer and will be going back in February to catch up with them again. They have also been to a one-day workshop delivered by Nurture Development Managind Director, Cormac Russell, at The Basement Recovery Project in Halifax.

Martyn and Dot share their reflections on Asset-Based Community Development and Hope North East. Click here to read their story.

#volunteer coffee morning taking off @hopenortheast pic.twitter.com/ux11VgXYk3

— Martyn Prouse (@martyn270488) November 19, 2015

Some great conversations taking place in the #volunteer coffee morning @hopenortheast pic.twitter.com/0nGP3KVjVi — Martyn Prouse (@martyn270488) November 19, 2015

Our work with @MarkSteph001 & @NurtureDev has had a huge impact, doing things differently & removing barriers for creative thinking #ABCD

— Dot (@smiturt) November 19, 2015

@MarkSteph001 @smiturt @NurtureDev you inspired us Mark, got the creative juices boiling, thank you — Hope North East (@hopenortheast) November 19, 2015

Which of our team members is in North-West and Trafford: Mark Stephenson, Associate, with the support of Associates Paul Macey and Chris Shaw.