UMDONI COMMUNITY RECOVERY PROJECT

We believe that addiction is  a symptom of a greater disease, rooted in disconnection,  which affects not only individuals but our communities and society as a whole.

We believe that addicts of all types are those who are most strongly affected by this disease.  Addicts  in recovery are thus an important resource of recovery capital that can be mobilized to serve as recovery carriers within the community.

 We believe that this resource can be mobilised to bring recovery to addicts who cannot afford the enormous costs involved in the treatment system.

We believe that Recovery from addiction is a lifelong process of learning and that present treatment models that see recovery as brief intervention are ineffective.

Our vision is to nurture and support a vibrant recovery community in which individual, family  and community healing and re-connection can take place.

 Our Mission

1.       To mobilise individual, family and community resources to promote a culture of recovery. Particularly to include recovering addicts in the process of recovery.

2.       To make such resources available  so individuals, families and communities are able to get the help they need to recover.

3        To develop and nurture a strong grassroots networks of recovery community organizations offering opportunities for people to make their voices heard, and providing a forum for community service and opportunities for community development and upliftment.

4.       To strengthen and support natural family and community ties as the first line of social support with the aim of creating a healing environment that enhances personal, family and community health.

5.       To bring the message of  recovery to the majority of people who cannot afford the expense of  rehabilitation and treatment programs.

6.       To broaden public understanding of the reality of the disease of addiction and the process of recovery and reduce the stigma associated with addiction

7.       To move beyond an  individual concept of recovery to a communal one, encompassing families and communities.

8.       To advocate for planning and policies at all levels of society to enhance recovery, and for more addiction research, prevention, and treatment.

Practical goals

1. To provide peer-based recovery support services which cover a wide range of activities not generally offered by current treatment providers. Such services may include (but are not limited to)  peer support (e.g., recovery coaching), resource access ( housing, transportation, computers, library) vocational training, community service, employment services, telephone support, access to support groups, system navigation, recovery resource dissemination, life skills training and clean living social activities.
2. To provide information on and facilitate access to existing treatment and recovery resources.
3. To provide a forum for community service. To get recovering addicts involved in community upliftment and development  projects. To challenge the stigma of addiction by demonstration that recovering addicts can be positive role models and assets to their communities. 
4.  To celebrate recovery from addiction through public events.
5.  To act as a catalyst for bringing together  community institutions, government, business, and industry, civic and neighbourhood organization, treatment centres, health and social service agencies, educational institutions, the criminal justice system; religious institutions; sports and leisure institutions; the arts community; and media institutions to find common ground in addressing this issue.
6.  Seek to expand philanthropic and public support for addiction treatment, recovery support services, and recovery advocacy .
7. To  support  research that illuminates the processes of long-term recovery and establishes an evidence base for effective strategies, in particular  peer and community – based support systems.
8.  To provide public education and foster awareness. To put  a face and a voice on recovery to educate the public, policy makers, service providers, and the media about the reality of recovery
9.  Policy advocacy. Challenging the criminalisation of addiction,  the war on drugs and advocating for more effective public policies aimed at supporting peer-and community-based  recovery and treatment. Investigating and encouraging the introduction of drug courts and diversion programs for drug related offences.

In the longer term we also aim to establish:

•  a clean living communal home which will provide a home environment for addicts  in recovery under  the supervision and care of addicts with longer clean time.
• a community centre which will provide a resource centre for the local community and  a place for community-wide sober social activities, workshops, meetings, and resource connections .