My name is Gordon and I work as a drug and alcohol therapeutic support worker at Growing Rooms. We have two groups consisting of 20 clients each.

On Mondays, we begin with a check-in session followed by a group session in the afternoon. On Tuesdays, our clients volunteer at St. George's Crypt, which is a great way to give back to the community. It also helps our clients to incorporate new values and spiritual principles, which are essential in upskilling the client and making them aware of and appreciating selflessness.

On Wednesdays, we work on the 12-step program followed by a group session. Thursdays are reserved for volunteering again, and Fridays are for group sessions, as well as 1-2-1 sessions where clients can discuss issues that cannot be shared in a group.

My role is quite versatile, and other things can come up, such as visiting prisons to assess potential clients referred to us by the prison service.

Many staff members at Growing Rooms have been in recovery themselves, and I am passionate about helping people who are hardest to reach. I like to visit prisons to speak to people using my own life experiences to interact with them. I know that change is possible, and I try to inspire, motivate, help and guide people trapped in addiction and stuck in the perpetual cycle of reoffending and ending up back in prison.

Addiction can affect anyone from any walk of life. Addiction manifests itself in fear through obsession and compulsion. However, there are key components that make up an addict, such as trauma, homelessness, abuse, and other factors.

I like to keep fit, and this year, I am doing my first marathon to raise money for St. George’s Crypt and Growing Rooms. It’s my way of giving back. Even though I’ve been in recovery for some years now, I still suffer from the disease of addiction. So, I’m heavily involved in the recovery community, and I manage my condition by staying active, running, and spending time in nature.

To those struggling with addiction, recovery is available to everyone. Anyone can access and achieve longevity in recovery, but it takes courage and determination to try. The program where I work talks about the way of the program, and I couldn’t have got to where I am today without the guidance and support of the program and its staff.

At Growing Rooms, we support people from chaos to citizenship. For example, a client can come to us homeless and broken and stay for 12 months, working through the program with the support of our staff. By the end of the program, they can leave as a functioning member of society. This is what makes dreams come true.