What is the change we want to see?   Is there a need or a demand for us?   What is the long term picture?

What is the change we want to see?

Too often drug rehabilitation comes at a price for organisations. Top down approaches find a way of appearing contrary to what the projects set out in their objectives. This approach inherently installs a level of performance indicators for projects that are funding driven and as a result projects lose their vision and forget about their mission to help others, not, provide for yourself and then help others. This always happens through poor leadership, there are not enough Mavericks. This results in the projects concentrating more on the rehabilitative phase of recovery, as performance indicators are easier to portray more positively, than in the re-integrative phase. The lack of knowledge from the business sector around this needs to be changed, an awareness of the difficulty in rehabilitating, yes, but we believe the reintegrative process has not fully developed the potential for those moving into that phase of recovery. It needs somebody to act as a broker to fill the gap, lessen the divide between the perceived ‘world outside’ and ‘rehab’ Often projects have not got the expertise to reach beyond settling for second best. Career paths are chosen because it moves somebody on and enhances statistics.

It is our belief that the sky is the limit with those in addiction and it’s not about eradicating a problem but more about understanding the people who live with it.

The change we want to see is organisations in the field of addiction and the private and business sector working together no matter what the ethos, there is always a place where there is a common ground especially in addiction.  “It is not enough to talk the talk you have to walk the walk” We want to work and communicate by example. Those who are reintegrating need role models there has been very few in their lives and if those who are mentoring guiding or helping in any way are not leading and living their lives by example, then what is the point. This has to be a two way process; all members learn from each other be it in Grá house or associated with the house. It encourages Reintegration with sustenance as each person is guided through a collaborative and co-operative approach that challenges the helper/mentor as well.

We came up with this idea for change because in the many projects we have worked, trained and lived in, we identified a common problem. There is a level of competition that is detrimental to the feel good factor in organisations the ‘our project is better than yours syndrome’ or ‘I am much better at helping than you’ which spreads like a virus creating an unsafe environment. The main evaluation tool in every project are your members, in our instance the target group are people with a history of drug addiction, and as mentioned before the lack of role models in their lives creates an awareness of what or whom is the genuine article. Therefore our idea is It is the mixing of the social partners at a very real and tangible way where each person is guided and mentored, practically, spiritually and fundamentally (employment).  ‘Celtic tiger adopts a lost and injured cub and when it is healed it too is a tiger’, it is in the healing that we can all learn to lead in ways that we have never done before. The co-founders and Board have been lucky in their lives and have developed a network of successful people in many areas of life from family orientated, to business, to voluntary and are now asking many others in similar situations through their example and leadership to be involved in this unique two way process. It is adopting this approach that when we refer to members of Grá we do not just mean those with a history of drug and alcohol addiction we mean all people involved.

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Is there a need or a demand for us?

We know there is a demand for our project because it lies within a continuum of care, chaotic use to drug free. Mark has worked and trained in There is a well-established link with all of the above projects and those who have finished these programmes will benefit by attending the Grá house. It is not a case if they don’t attend our programme they will fail, all of the above provide their residents with tools to re-integrate it is the way that reintegration takes place that I believe that creates a rehabilitation hegemony. Rehabilitation becomes a way of life rather than being part of a process. Grá wants to reintegrate in a way that there is a two way process, its not just the addict who benefits but those who are living ordinary lives get to be more fulfilled by being invited into the life of somebody less fortunate and learn from it as well as provide in it, this should be perceived as a privilege not a right. Grá wants to be available to people who really know where they want to go but just don’t know how to get there, whether it be from a lack of resources or opportunities, or just plain bad luck.  They too will be invited to participate.  At all times there is choice not coercion.

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What is the long term picture?

The long term desire is that Grá will be established as an organisation that exacts real and sustainable change where those who take part be it living in the house or mentoring or funding or supporting will realise that Grá is not just a word that means love but it is a way of life.  Members will realise it is not just about words but actions which must happen so that we remain in “Grá”.  Those who have will realise in order to keep it they have to give it away, and those who have never had it will realise when they are in Grá that they got it because they were able to give it away much to their surprise.  We at Grá would love to see others in other towns and villages mirror what we are trying to do and where we would be a catalyst to helping them to try to do that.  Effectively all at Grá would mentor others to start houses of re-integration with ready-made access to our network of members.  The key to this is like what Joe Williams is doing is through the parishes, they are still contrary to popular belief the main gateway to assessing the needs of a town.  This has already been established in our area of Wicklow where all nine surrounding parishes have been informed of our existence, what we are trying to do, and at what stage we are at.  We are in the very fortunate situation to have 1000sq ft hall attached to our premises that we intend to use as a resource for meetings and talks and a potential education centre, which the surrounding locale will be able to access.  The Grá house will be known and is already known as a safe place where there are lads trying to make a difference not only to their own lives but to others as well.  Our success will be measured in the amount of members first that attend the house on a residential basis.  There is a capacity for six, with an extra room being kept for visitors.  Parents and family of resident members and also anyone who is experiencing the horrors of addiction through a daughter or a son, are all welcome to visit so that they can see there is hope.  By year three it would be envisaged that the house would remain at a regular occupancy of six turning over as each member is fully reintegrated.  Also that a strong membership network will have grown and a mentor database will be as diverse as we can possibly make it.  The main essence of our mission is family.  Another factor governing success is that at the end of this three year plan that we would be involved in the setting up of another house in another town preferably for women.

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