Is the group right for you?

• Have you had recent contact with drug and alcohol services in Lanarkshire?
• Would you like to use your experiences to develop services for others?
• Would you like to participate in peer research?

If you have answered yes to these questions, the Lanarkshire User Involvement Group could be for you.

Group aims and objectives

User Involvement is about giving drug and alcohol users a say in the planning and delivery of services through:

• identifying the views of service users
• representing the views of service users throughout Lanarkshire
• influencing policy development
• positively using the skills of drug and alcohol users

In participating, you could benefit by developing skills and receiving support in your social and personal development.

How do we do this?

We bring together stable or ex drug/alcohol users as groups of volunteers who are trained and supported to undertake various user involvement activities.

The activities focus on making sure that service users' views inform the planning and decision making process of drug and alcohol services.

Who can join the group?

Volunteers should:

• be over 18 
• be a current or recent user of addiction services which may be specialist or generic 
• be drug/alcohol free or stable in terms of their drug/alcohol use 
• have ceased offending 
• be able to sustain a commitment that will benefit their personal and social development

Examples of group activities:

• peer research and survey work
• presenting findings from survey work
• attendance at conferences - as participants or facilitators
• representation on policy-making groups
• peer education, training and support
• design of drugs/alcohol information material
• consulting on new information tools, including leaflets and service reports

What do you get?

• induction programme
• participation in user involvement activities
• identification and support in your personal development plan
• involvement in social activities
• free membership of the Scottish drugs forum
• volunteers will be reimbursed for expenses incurred while volunteering

"It's challenged me in the way of giving me the confidence I wouldn't have had, and to open up my mind to give me a new perspective" - volunteer

"The Lanarkshire Involvement Group has given me direction and focus and, has helped to consolidate my experiences allowing me to plan for the future" - volunteer