Kath's Vocational Visits

Kath blogs a quick update on some of the work related visits I have been on so far.


I have been lucky enough to visit 3 drug rehabilitation centers, 2 were Government funded and one privately funded. They have ranged in size from approx 11 to 30 clients/patients and whilst each work with heroin users the centers take clients based on how long they had been using for so one center takes clients who have been using for less than 5 years, one for 5-10 years etc.

Obviously the difference in resources is striking, the buildings tend to be open plan with all clients sleeping in a dormitory, eating together and spending the day in communal areas and, where possible, outside in the garden. Clients write motivational messages on posters which are dotted around and all of the centres had established ground rules for behaviour.

The staff I have met have been very enthusiastic about their work and are really keen to hear how structured day prorgammes/residential centres work in the UK structure the day so I have promised to send further details once I’m back home to talk to the experts. In the centres I have visited they follow a daily timetabled programme which includes counseling sessions, exercise, group discussions, manual work/upkeep of the premises and vocational sessions where professionals come in and teach a trade such as fence building, landscaping and screen printing. I found this really interesting and quite enterprising - in the non gov funded centre they were printing T-shirts for the local school for cash to help fund the center. In a lot of ways the focus is very much on the end goal of being abstinent from all drugs and harm reduction doesn’t appear to feature.

A real difference to the UK is that in all the centers I have visited the client ‘signs up’ to being there for a minimum of 3 months, locked doors and guards enforce this. Also, from what I can gather, the withdrawal from heroin is not medically assisted apart from the use of sedatives in the first few days. After-care seems to be a real challenge and a number of clients relapse once they return to their communities. As I said, all of this is based on only 3 visits so I am keen to find out more.

So far my vocational visits have been a real eye opener! I have had lots of healthy discussions about the differences in policies, perceived leniency in the UK and reasons behind drug use.

I am hopefully going in (and out!) of a prison next week which I’m sure will leave a lasting impression.

Thanks to everyone involved, I’m learning a great deal and having a wonderful time.