NETWORKTHE FEEDBACK EDITION

F66 MERGER

INTERVIEW WITH KAREN BIGGS

IIP GOLD

INTERVIEW WITH FRANCES GRAY

FUNDRAISING AND INNOVATION TEAM

MEET YOUR FIT TEAM

MENTAL HEALTH

PENTONVILLE RAISING AWARENESS

out and about

SERVICE USERS IN ACTION

JUNE 2014

ISSUE 22

We’re changing the way we communicate throughout Phoenix to make it easier to share news, ideas and expertise. But we can’t do it without your feedback. Through a short online survey we’ll be asking you what you want to see in Network, how you want to receive news and updates, and when.

The main focus areas for this consultation process are:• Content• Submitting News• Format

Content What do you want to see in Network? We want Network to be a valuable resource in sharing ideas and boosting engagement throughout the organisation. Let us know what matters to you!

Submitting News There wouldn’t be a Network without you. Therefore we want to make it as easy as possible for you to share your news and tell us what’s going on around Phoenix.

Format How do you want to receive your news? We currently send Network out monthly in this PDF format, but this may not be the most accessible way of getting our news out.

To give us your feedback on Network, please follow this link to take the online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3HZWJNC

MEET THE EDITOR

We’re making some changes to Internal Communications to help us, as an organisation, share ideas, news and expertise more easily. One way we aim to do this is by creating a new strategy for our newsletter, Network, which is where I come in…

Hi, I’m Deborah. I joined the Marketing and Communications team in April to take the lead on Internal Communications and I’ll be your new Network editor. As part of the new strategy behind Network I’ll be introducing an editorial process, which will enable us to develop content that is interesting and relevant to you.

We are currently in the process of streamlining the way you submit your news and are hoping to have a new system up and running in the next couple of months. In the meantime if you would like to submit your news to Network please do so by emailing me at deborah.mackay@phoenix-futures.org.uk and provide a summary of the news – this doesn’t have to be in article format – along with any photos you would like us to use. For photos please ensure you have consent from service users. Your news will then be edited and featured in the next edition.

I look forward to hearing all about what’s going on around Phoenix.

HAVE YOUR SAY

CHANGING LIVES TOGETHER

What does the Foundation66 merger mean for Phoenix Futures?

The merger has increased our presence in London and has also given us some specific and specialist services including an alcohol detox service and older peoples services. Foundation66 also has a significant amount of housing stock which is currently underutilised and we are really keen to use this to deliver some of our Phoenix Plus Housing models developed across the country.

How will this merger help us to build upon our commitment to service users?

Our corporate plan sets out clearly our commitment to protect services where we can and I am really pleased we have been able to step in to protect Foundation66 services, which benefit a significant number of service users across London and the South East.

Foundation66 shares our ethos of service user involvement and there is much we can learn from the approaches of the two organisations. We are already developing ideas that use the experience of the two organisations to improve the user voice across the whole Group.

How are staff benefiting from the merger?

For Foundation66 staff they will benefit from being part of a wider organisation that can support them in their innovations and offer a comprehensive learning and development programme.

For Phoenix staff there is much they can learn from Foundation66 service models specifically in relation to alcohol services and the more specialist services.

I always encourage staff to visit other services in the organisation as it provides a significant learning opportunity for everyone.

A final word…

I really hope that Foundation66 staff and Phoenix staff take the time to learn about each other’s services and find opportunities to share practice. The culture and values of the organisations are very similar and I am really excited about the potential to develop new innovative models to benefit service users across the country.

May marked two months since Phoenix Futures merged with Foundation66. To find out more about this exciting new partnership I caught up with Phoenix Futures CEO, Karen Biggs

Why did Foundation66 merge with Phoenix?

Last year the Foundation66 Board took the decision to find a merger partner to help them have a more secure financial footing for the organisation. The Foundation66 Board wanted a merger partner that shared their vision and values and could support the services to develop.

PHOENIX TAKES GOLD

In the last edition of Network we were pleased to announce we'd been awarded the Gold standard by Investors In People (IIP). This month, to find out what this means for Phoenix Futures, I caught up with Head of Leaning and Development, Frances Gray.

How were we assessed?

IIP interview 10% of staff about an organisation and their answers and comments are added to evidence, which is submitted to the assessor. I’m very happy to say 77 members of Phoenix Futures (board members, volunteers, and staff) independently evidenced that we're Gold standard.

What makes us Gold?

We're proud to have met 164 standards. Areas and projects we received particular praise for were the visibility of the executive team, our virtual rehab training, the Voyage of Recovery, and Ecett.

What does it mean for Phoenix Futures?

The IIP Gold award makes us stand out in our sector. It highlights our commitment to our staff and shows we are happy to prove it. This year's award is a huge achievement for us as we've jumped straight from Bronze to Gold standard.

What does IIP Gold mean for the future of Phoenix Futures?

We are committed to keeping IIP high on the agenda. We are changing from a three yearly assessment process to an annual assessment process to help keep staff development and improvement at the forefront of Phoenix Futures. We aim to continuously improve the standards met and address the few we didn't meet this time.

A final word...

I'd like to personally thank everyone who was involved in the assessment and congratulate them on gaining our gold award.

To get started, can you first tell us a bit about what an IIP award is?

In short, an IIP award is recognition and evidence that an organisation looks after their staff and to help UK organisations and their employees make the most of their abilities. Organisations are required to meet a minimum number of standards for each award. IIP awards are ranked by colour; bronze, silver and gold. For Gold, organisations must meet a minimum of 160 of 190 standards. These standards are divided into three categories; planning, doing and reviewing.

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month was anxiety, one of the leading causes of mental ill-health in the world. Anxiety is especially common amongst young people, the unemployed, and those experiencing substance misuse problems, but the prevalence of stigma around anxiety prevents people from seeking help.

To promote mental health awareness in HMP Pentonville we ran Mental Health groups over two weeks. Our Anxiety and Depression awareness group involved discussions on how common both these illnesses are, triggers, and tips on how to cope day-to-day. We explored the link between anxiety, depression and substance misuse; including substances as an unhealthy coping strategy, substance-induced anxiety and paranoia, and how the lifestyle often associated with crime and using substances can be a mediating factor in the development of anxiety and/or depression.

For our general Mental Health awareness groups the main message was that mental health issues are common, people can experience them in many different ways, and that people deserve, and should seek, help and support. Attendees were signposted to a variety of services. These included nationally available prison-based services; chaplaincy, the Listener service (supported by the Samaritans charity), mental health teams, education, personal officers and AA/NA/CA fellowships, and charities providing support in the community; Anxiety Care, Bipolar UK, Mind, OCD Action and Rethink Mental Illness to name a few.

These groups are just a small step towards promoting mental health awareness. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems in the UK and it is increasing; despite this it remains under-reported and under-treated. If as staff we can be more aware of the problems some of our service users face daily, we can be better equipped to advise and support them to the best of our ability.

This year in the historic grounds of Trinity College Dublin, hosted by Coolmine Therapeutic Community was the 15th international symposium on substance abuse treatment of the European Working group On Drugs Orientated Research (EWODOR) conference. The theme this year was ‘Gender and Diversity’; looking at understanding and addressing the needs of marginalised populations. Topics at the conference included homelessness, women in treatment, lesbian, gay and bisexual clients, personality disorder, self harm, mental health, the travelling community and masculinity to name but a few.

Amongst many other international speakers from varying research and practitioner backgrounds, Phoenix provided two keynote speaker sessions where we were able to share our experience and expertise. Karen Biggs took the floor to present findings on ‘Motherhood and Recovery’ and discussed a longitudinal, internal study of our mothers in treatment and how being a mother can have a positive impact on recovery. Karen provided an insightful and thought-provoking picture of the Phoenix findings and wider implications of these and certainly evoked discussion from the audience following her presentation. Diane Hilton later took centre stage to discuss the evolution of Prison Based Therapeutic Communities in the UK. Diane emphasised Phoenix’s crucial role in the modernisation of prison TCs highlighting the positive outcomes that Phoenix has yielded from its own services. Diane concluded that prison TCs in the UK have now become established and influential treatment methods for tackling substance misuse.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Dublin and truly appreciated the opportunity to share our knowledge and practice with others whilst at the same time learning from other research and international policies. We particularly enjoyed meeting current and ex-service users and staff from Coolmine Therapeutic Community who made us feel extremely welcome. Indeed, we were invited to visit Coolmine on the outskirts of Dublin where we were given a guided tour of their community inclusive of their main house, gardens and polytunnels and their new mother and baby unit, Ashleigh House.

PHOENIX AT EWODOR, DUBLIN

Lauren Benham, Building Futures

Laura Aslan, Quality and Performance

PENTONVILLE RAISING AWARENESS

Introducing the Fundraising and Innovation Team for 2014 /2015. The FIT team meet four times a year to encourage staff to create new ideas, and organise and take part in fundraising. These are the people you can contact for help and guidance on developing your idea for FIT.

MEET FIT

Adele DuncanDir. of Operations

“I know that there are a number of

innovations taking place every day in our

services and this group will enable services to seek either support or

fundraising suggestions to enable these

innovations to take place.”

Alison RoyalL&D Officer

“I wanted to be part of the FIT team so I could

be part of the good work that is being done across the services with a view to supporting staff to

share best practice and take exciting new ideas

forward.”

Jamie Gratton Assistant Admin,

Derby City“I am passionate about making a real positive impact not only in the

local community but also on a larger scale.”

James ArmstrongHead of Marketing “It’s very easy for good

ideas to be lost, I hope to be able to play a part in helping nurture the best ideas and bringing them

to fruition.”

John CraneRecovery Navigator, Wirral Residential

“Witnessing the inner workings of this tremendous

organisation at first hand is fascinating and

a seat on FIT comes with responsibilities and duties. There are no passengers on this committee and that’s

how it should be.”

Julie SuttonTeam Manager,

Barnsley Criminal Justice

“Valuing staff’s opinions and ideas is what makes

the ‘Phoenix Family’, and ultimately these

ideas which will enhance service users’ treatment journey and hopefully aid and support their

recovery.”

Karen BiggsCEO

“One of our values of as a charity is to strive to be the best and the FIT team is a great example of how we demonstrate

that.”

Melanie GrahamEngage Worker,

Wirral Community“I enjoy helping

people in realising and achieving their goals, and it gives me great sense of achievement

and satisfaction when I see something coming together that benefits

not only our client group but also enhances

the profile of Phoenix Futures.”

Paul HammondWork Programme

Manager“I wanted to be on the FIT team to be part of the added value core services can deliver,

which means so much to service users and their

families / carers.”

Robyn McAllisterBusiness

Development Officer“Even in my short time at Phoenix so far, it’s

clear to me how central innovation is to the

organisation and to how we improve service users’ experience and recovery.”

Steven BerryBuilding Futures Manager, HMP

Wymott“When I heard about

the FIT team I thought it would be the perfect

opportunity to utilise my experience of

planning fundraising activities, whilst

supporting colleagues in developing their

innovative ideas and enhancing the services

we provide.”

Stuart PlantService User Involve-

ment Manager“Supporting staff to develop new ideas is

always exciting. I enjoy hearing about all the

new and different ways of engaging both staff

and service users.”

Vicky HoldsworthMarketing and

Communications Officer

“There is so much innovation across the

whole organisation and the FIT team helps us get together the funding to make projects happen! I joined the fit team to get more involved in fundraising and to be part of getting things

going”

Drew MillerSenior Practioner,

CASS“I wanted to be a member of the FIT

team to promote and participate in the good work that is being done across the services as

well as support staff to share best

practice and take exciting new ideas

forward.”

Park House arranged a camping trip for their service users after receiving feedback that residents wanted to do more activities away.

Through car washing and baking cakes for families visiting on Sundays our residents raised over £200 for a camping trip by the sea. With the money raised and the helpful lending of sleeping bags and tents, a team of ten residents and two members of staff (Vickie and Rose) set off for a trip to Burnam-on-Sea on the weekend of 17th May.

Over the weekend activities included fishing, football and Frisbee on the beach, attending a local NA meeting and a BBQ where everyone got involved in the cooking (the unity was brilliant)

The weekend was particularly special for one resident…

“Sunday, my birthday, was fantastic. My first sober birthday in 24 years! I felt on top of the world. After a tummy of burgers and chips and more laughter and screams at the fair, a sing-along on the mini bus home completed the best weekend I have had in years with people who have changed my life. My new family and friends”. Joanne, Resident.

What really added to the weekend was being joined by three volunteers from Seascape (two of whom are Park House graduates). Seascape will be offering activities that complement those of the Recovery Through Nature programme. This is an exciting new project which we are keen to support., Vickie’s aim for the weekend was for residents to realise they can have fun without using substances. The feedback confirmed we need many more events like this one, and Vickie is keen to plan the next activity.

We highly recommend Warren Farm Holiday Centre. Visit their site for more information: http://www.warren-farm.co.uk

PARK HOUSE HAPPY CAMPERS

Louise Stringer, Park House

Phoenix Futures Wirral in conjunction with Tranmere Rovers FC (TRFC) in the Community and the NHS Wirral - Learn to Live Well Team organised a health and social project.

The Project’s main aim was to raise awareness around varying issues over 10 weekly sessions these included health checks, sexual health awareness, healthy eating, alcohol awareness, food myths, smoking cessation, sports hydration, volunteering and fire safety in the home.

ON THE WIRRAL

Ray Smith, Wirral Community Services

After every learning session the group had the opportunity to take part in a football training session with a TRFC Community Coach. The Project was a great success and not only gave the individual’s who attended the opportunity to access health education / football sessions, but also to learn about options around health provision on Wirral.

The final session consisted of a five-a-side football tournament at TRFC Community Centre between Phoenix Futures, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, NHS Wirral, and local electrical firm, FOZ Contract Services. Those who completed the course were presented with certificates by Simon Gilby Wirral NHS Trust and TRFC and the Community Manager Steve Williams.

Big thanks go to FOZ Contract Services (Ben McDaid) for supporting the venture and supplying a new kit and essential equipment. Both Phoenix Futures and FOZ are looking forward to working in conjunction in the future after this great start.

On the 10th May the Wirral Residential Service hosted a Recovery Gig to raise money for another voyage onboard the Tectona with the Island Trust.

We had performances from a local band named Madison, our very own choir Phoenix Voices and also Cover-Up, the winners of the Re:Cover project. The day provided a chance for residents to spend quality time with their friends and families enjoying good music and good food. One of our residents even commented after the event that it had been one of the happiest days of his life and he was amazed that he could enjoy himself so much without alcohol. And with ticket sales, a raffle and a mocktail stand we even managed to raise over £500 towards the Voyage. All in all a massive success.

Lori Parker, Wirral Residential

Supporting organisations

Working Together to Celebrate Recovery

Recovery

filmfestival

street

Share your story in the

2014Summer

…and be in with a chance to win £1,000 worth of film related prizes!

Don’t miss out… Submit your film to the Recovery Street Film Festival by 28th July 2014!

www.recoverystreetfilmfestival.co.uk

SHOWING OFF

Last month our Director of Operations, Adele Duncan, visited our Glasgow Residential service. Adele was so impressed with the displays at the service that she took photos to share their ideas around Phoenix.

PAWS FOR THOUGHT

The Friends of Birkenhead Kennels would like to say a big thank you to the residents of our Wirral and Trafford services who helped raise £148 for the local charity. Congratulations to everyone involved.

REPLACING JANUS

Quality and Performance are making changes to the way we manage cases and store data to help you work smarter.

Five years ago we started using a system called Janus. At the time it was a huge improvement on our previous systems, but since then the organisation has grown, technology has advanced, and the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System in England has become increasingly complex - so we realised we needed to change.

The Executive Team has selected ILLY Links CarePath, which is one of the larger systems in use in the drug and alcohol sector. This system is already used in some Phoenix Futures and F66 services. This decision was taken following an extensive selection process carried out by a User Group, and further “due diligence”.

Through using ILLY Links CarePath we will particularly benefit from: • An externally hosted web-based database, which means it is robust and will interact well with our IT systems• A system managed in accordance with ISO 9001, which means it is rigorously tested and quality controlled• Flexible and intuitive case management, including full reminder functions, which means it helps staff record their

work in the most efficient way• Fixed and ad hoc reporting, making it easy to pull off statistics, which means it helps our services demonstrate

what outcomes they achieve for our service users

The move to the new system will be fully project-managed and managers and staff kept fully involved as necessary. Once the services that currently use Janus have moved over, then ILLY will be our database of choice for new services (although in some cases when we work in partnership, with NHS Trusts etc, we do use other databases).

If you have any comments or questions, please contact Dan Richter, Head of Quality and Performance. dan.richter@phoenix-futures.org.uk

ACTIVE KIDS IN SHEFFIELD

A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who’s been collecting the Sainsbury’s Active Kids vouchers for Phoenix’s Sheffield Family Service.

Every year the service uses the vouchers to order resources for the childcare department such as sports and outdoor equipment. This year they are also hoping to get some gardening equipment for the allotment project.

Please can you send all vouchers to Jenny Lyons at the Family Service by 3rd July.

Jenny LyonsThe National Specialist Family Service29-31 Collegiate CrescentBroomhallSheffieldS10 2BJ

WORLD CUP FEVER HITS TRAFFORD

Staff at Trafford Navigation and Recovery Services got into the World Cup spirit with a desk dressing competition. Each member of staff had to dress their desk with the colours, culture and food of the country of their selected team. Winners were chosen by the Trafford Recovery Champions.

The Trafford World Cup Winners were:

Johnny McManus - MexicoOverall Winner

Eugene O’Regan - ChileService Best Dressed

Georgina Aspinal - SpainService Best Dressed

Justine Demaine - PortugalService Best Dressed

And the Runners Up...

VOYAGE OF RECOVERY 2014

Join us for a unique experience onboard the

Tectona. Learn new skills and face new challenges

on the Voyage of Recovery 2014

When Services Route Interested? Contact...

8 to 12 Sept Phoenix Re:United Greenwich to Portsmouth Stuart Plant

14 to 19 Sept Leicester, Derby, NORCAS Portsmouth to Plymouth Richard Maunders

21 to 26 Sept Hampshire Residential Plymouth to Plymouth Anthony Reith

28 Sept to 3 Oct Foundation66, Barnsley, Birmingham

Plymouth to Portsmouth Stuart Croft

5 to 10 Oct Wirral Residential Portsmouth to Plymouth Eugene Chapman

12 to 17 Oct Sheffield Residential Plymouth to Plymouth Carly Taylor

If any of your Service Users are interested in getting involved in the Voyage of Recovery, please ask them to get in touch with one of the above contacts.