In my view…Maggie Williams, NORCAS chief executive
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
In my view…Maggie Williams, NORCAS chief executive
At NORCAS we feel it is true to say that the environment in which the charity now operates is more chaotic than ever, with the NHS reforms and Government u-turns in legislation, but we have remained fully operational despite sometimes being uncertain of upcoming changes or funding. Our service users are often experiencing chaotic times themselves but can be reassured that with our new service delivery model in place they continue to be at the centre of what we do. We now work with our clients before, during and after their treatment which we truly feel is the best support we can provide.
We are focused more than ever on client outcomes even with continued talk from the government about definitions e.g. for abstinence, read recovery. We believe the proof is in the pudding and because we are committed to what we do, instead of concentrating on defining our services we can let the outcomes speak for themselves.
Amid all of the political chaos we are currently being subjected to there are of course some concerns which we as a charity are mindful of. The housing benefit cuts and return to work schemes are contributing to increasing homelessness and, with the effects of alcohol misuse becoming more prevalent, our plea is to get industries to work together with health, police and community leaders to minimise this very real harm to both the community and funding. At NORCAS we fully believe that ‘change happens together’.
On a positive note, joint working with businesses is growing an incredibly exciting prospect for us as a charity, and we are also diversifying into other fundraising avenues. This leads me on to the launch of our very first NORCAS Week. We will be recruiting volunteers to raise money locally and all funds raised will go directly to clients, both adult and youth in Norfolk intially. We are asking volunteers to help us in our community fundraising quest by signing up and raising £250 each. Information on how to get involved is detailed later on in this newsletter.
Our second NORCAS charity ball, which this year was held in aid of our ‘Too Much Too Young’ appeal, has been a huge success raising over £8,000. What a fantastic evening and a big thank you to everyone who helped to organise the event and those who came along to show their support and offered such a generous reception to our cause. We are happy to announce that our next ball will be held in Suffolk and we will have more information on that at a later date.
We would like to thank everyone who has and continues to give money and expertise to the ‘Too Much Too Young’ appeal. Its success has seen the appointment of our first affected others worker, Jade Claxton, who we would like to officially welcome to the NORCAS team. Jade’s appointment will make a big difference to the lives of the local children she will be working with. We also welcome our new Head of Service Delivery & Quality (Youth), Ali Hall, who joins us on 18 July.
Life continues to be busy, challenging but exciting.
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NORCAS Youth Appeal Funds New Recruit
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
The success of NORCAS’s first public appeal enables the charity to provide support for young carers
Since launching its ‘Too Much Too Young’ appeal last year, NORCAS has raised more than £73,000 for children across Norfolk and Suffolk who are affected by and caring for parents who are misusing drugs and/or alcohol.
The campaign is the first public appeal NORCAS has run throughout its 33 year history and following its success, the charity is pleased to announce the appointment of Jade Claxton as its very first affected others worker for a two year post working with young people in Norfolk. The role will involve providing one to one support for the young person concerned, facilitating group work and building relationships with other agencies who currently work with affected others in the county.
Norwich City Football Club chief, David McNally, pledged his support by agreeing to run the 2011 Virgin London Marathon, which took place on April 17th, on behalf of the appeal. We would like to thank David for all his efforts and to date raising nearly £14,000 towards the ‘Too Much Too Young’ appeal.
Mr McNally said, “It’s for a fantastic cause. We’ve got lots of children who are vulnerable in Norfolk as a result of their parents suffering from problems with alcohol, gambling or drugs.”
Local and national research has revealed that an estimated 30,000 children in Norfolk and Suffolk below the age of 16 are living with parents who misuse drugs and alcohol. The true figure is likely to be even higher. In some cases children as young as five are being put in the position of trying to take care of their parents, often being forced to skip school to look after them and deal with their sickness.
There is not currently sufficient statutory funding available to support these children and so NORCAS decided to launch its ‘Too Much Too Young’ appeal back in October 2010 to raise funds to be able to start to help some of the children affected.
Having invested just £1000 to get it off the ground, the appeal has reached a total of £73,000 thanks to generous donations from local trusts, individuals and members of the public.
For more information about the fundraising appeal and the work NORCAS intends to do in 2011, please log on to www.toomuchtooyoungappeal.org.uk. You can also donate online through the website if you are able to offer support.
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A Day in the Life of a NORCAS Team Leader
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
A snapshot of a ‘typical’ day in the life of a Team Leader from NORCAS’s Ipswich office – Cynthia Pointon
I joined NORCAS back in January 1999 and in my 12 years of working with the charity you could say I’ve come full circle! I began as a volunteer myself all those years ago and now one of the key elements in my job is meeting with local volunteers, who are keen to work with NORCAS and seeing what skills they can bring to the Ipswich team.
With the recent changes in funding, NORCAS is in the process of changing the way it structures its treatment programmes, therefore of late a large proportion of my time has been taken up in overseeing the move from one-to-one counselling into the new structured day programmes (SDP). These programmes take place three times a week over the course of two months and begin in the morning with themed group sessions, which can focus on anything from self-awareness and behaviour through to personal issues and therapeutic ideas. We then organise volunteers to visit the NORCAS centre for the latter part of the day and service-users will take part in workshops on subjects such as cooking, healthy eating and exercise. It is hoped that these activities will stimulate them and awaken long-forgotten dormant talents! Our latest method of tapping into the service user’s creative talents is through the design and production of the NORCAS Chronicle; our very first client produced newsletter, which is the brainchild of our administrator in the Ipswich office Andrew Hovell.
One of my favourite and most rewarding aspects of my job is the Community Care Assessments. I assess service users of their suitability for residential treatment and based on my decision to progress with an application I will then put together a multiple page document which is submitted to Suffolk DAAT for consideration. If an application is successful and is accepted for funding and residential treatment, I will then go on to organise travel arrangements and treatment for the individual in question.
Normally around once a month I will attend a Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC). These meetings are chaired by the police with an aim to prevent serious harm to any individual and during the course of the meeting, which normally lasts about three hours, we will discuss referrals that are potentially at risk or harm from their partners and put together a strategy to ensure their safety. We work closely with a number of representatives from local agencies including: safeguarding children, border control, probation, victim care, domestic violence and also health representatives such as nurses and health visitors.
To top off my workload I also manage and support our schools representative and our 18-25 project workers and I hold the role of dedicated health and safety representative!
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NORCAS Week
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
NORCAS will be embarking on its first community fundraising programme this September when it launches NORCAS Week (19th – 25th September)
This is the first initiative of its kind in the charity’s 33 year history and will hopefully see more than 100 volunteers pledging to raise £250 each to make a difference to those in the local community affected by problems with alcohol, drugs and gambling, enabling individuals and affected others to gain greater control in their lives.
As an independent charity, we are not able to rely on funding and grants from sources such as the NHS and the government. We are therefore embarking on a community fundraising programme in order to boost our sources of income and in turn help us to provide the much needed services we provide across the region.
All money raised locally in Norfolk will remain in Norfolk. For more information about how you can fundraise for NORCAS go to norcas.org.uk or contact Donna Hunt on 01603 227043 or email
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New Structured Day Programmes
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
New workshops to help service users develop personal skills and show their creativity
NORCAS has introduced a series of workshops offering practical support and help to develop personal skills in the form of its new Structured Day Programmes (SDP). The charity’s branches across Norfolk and Suffolk have been working to encourage more creativity among service users.
The Great Yarmouth branch of NORCAS has been tapping into its clients’ artistic nature with an art and craft programme. The artistic projects are part of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which encourages its service users to have a more positive outlook and also unearths hidden skills and talents. The workshop looks at all aspects of its service users lives and how they visualise things in order to inspire creativity. Clients use a variety of artistic techniques; from making collages from magazines and expressive painting through to simple sketches and drawing.
The Ipswich team will be encouraging clients to design and produce their own newsletter, which will explore a range of skills including: computer literacy, article writing, photography, design, internet research, formatting and publishing. The NORCAS Chronicle will be run like a tabloid newspaper with all participants having specific roles and responsibilities which come together in order to produce the final product at the end of the eight week programme.
The Structured Day Programmes also helps service users gain an understanding of substance misuse, explore personal, health and legal issues and develop the personal skills that enables clients to change and reduce harm, all within a safe and supportive environment.
The Norwich branch offers auricular acupuncture and reki to support clients with their recovery. Auricular acupuncture can help manage the cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with drug and/or alcohol misuse. Reiki is a Japanese technique used to promote relaxation and healing and to reduce stress and tension.
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Recovery Month
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
Annual national campaign sees support from NORCAS
After the success of last year’s campaign, The National Treatment Agency has launched its second Recovery Month, which celebrates recovery from drug dependency and highlights the issues surrounding addictive behaviour. NORCAS was keen to show its support for the cause by holding events throughout June across a number of its offices.
The Great Yarmouth branch visited the local Marketgates shopping centre and James Paget Hospital to raise awareness of their services and provide information on the support available for local residents. The branch also organised a recovery walk between Britannia Pier and the Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth wearing purple ribbons and carrying purple balloons for service users and NORCAS employees, as well as their family and friends.
Ipswich Buses kindly donated a “Recovery Bus” to the Suffolk based branch of NORCAS. The bus was decorated in Purple ribbon stickers and made a total of six, 45 minute stops throughout the day to allow staff to give out advice, guidance and information. The bus stopped in several locations around Ipswich, made an appearance in Babergh and then completed its journey in Felixstowe on Thursday 30th June.
In Norwich, NORCAS held a celebration picnic on Wednesday 29th June in Earlham Park for those stable in their recovery. Participants donated food and soft drinks and played summer games.
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MP visits NORCAS Great Yarmouth
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
Brandon Lewis is given a tour of the NORCAS facilities in Yarmouth
Brandon Lewis MP visited the Great Yarmouth branch of NORCAS recently to meet with Migrant Link Worker, Emilia Shurmur, along with the rest of the team and clients who attend the centre. Mr Lewis was given a tour of the facilities whilst learning in more depth about the service NORCAS provides and the issues facing the organisation on a daily basis.
Brandon Lewis said: “NORCAS is a vital service for Great Yarmouth. It was great to be able to speak to the team and gain a proper insight into the work they do in the community. Addictive behaviour, in whatever form it takes, can be a terribly destructive force; breaking up families, destroying careers and often leading to financial ruin. It is therefore essential that organisations such as NORCAS are present in our community.
“They have a fantastic set-up at their centre on North Quay and after speaking to one of the clients about her journey through dependency and her road to recovery can see what a vital role NORCAS play in so many people’s lives in the area.”
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NORCAS represented at Royal Visit
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
HRH Princess Anne takes a tour of sheltered housing complex in Kessingland
Chris Haylock, a Gamcare counsellor for NORCAS, was invited to represent the charity at the official opening of Marram Green in Kessingland, North Suffolk.
The sheltered housing complex in North Suffolk was officially opened by HRH Princess Anne. After touring the building and meeting residents, the Princess was serenaded by local choir Prime Time Group and children from Kessingland Primary School’s Top Time Group.
The complex, which is owned by Flagship, also houses parish council offices, a Waveney District Council office, a citizens advice bureau, community cafe and library.
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Gambling Update
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
Screening tool aims to break cycle of problematic gambling
NORCAS experiences a high number of clients with problematic gambling issues every week and so the charity has developed a simple screening tool that can be used by other professionals, such as GPs or college staff, to quickly identify if someone may need specialist support.
There are around 333,000 people in the UK with problematic gambling issues and for each one of these gamblers between 4 and 10 people are directly affected by their addictive behaviours.
NORCAS devised the simple to use screening tool, which takes no longer than 1 minute to complete, so that they can identify those who really need help and break the cycle of problematic gambling. The screening tool is aimed at all those who have contact with people who may have financial problems, crime issues, homelessness, mental health issues, physical health issues, alcohol/drug issues or they may be vulnerable adults or have child welfare issues. A positive response encourages a referral to NORCAS for specialist support.
NORCAS is introducing this screen to various organisations across Norfolk and Suffolk in order to help as many people as possible who have difficulties with gambling.
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Training Update
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
Training events calendar proves to be a success
The training and consultancy team at NORCAS has launched a training events calendar which has proven to be so successful that a second set of dates have already been added to the agenda.
The team have also expanded the number of courses on offer, including: half day sessions on blood borne viruses, dual diagnosis, alcohol, drugs on the party scene, overdoses and gambling. Full day courses on Drugs and Alcohol, Motivational Interviewing and Safer Injecting are also being advertised.
For more information on any of the courses or to receive a booking form please go to http://norcas.org.uk/training-and-consultancy/ or email for details.
NVQ qualifications awarded
A number of NORCAS service users have successfully completed an NVQ in volunteer befriending. Prisoners from Hollesley Bay will also receive accreditation for completion of a course in alcohol harm reductions as a result of these successes. NORCAS is now looking to expand the number of accredited courses they are able to offer.
NORCAS produces work place DVD
Consultations for a workplace DVD covering the issues of drugs and alcohol in the workplace have taken place for a multinational Health and Safety Organisation. NORCAS look forward to the completion of the video, which will feature on the charity’s website.
Drinkaware
NORCAS will be running free alcohol awareness training sessions for businesses in the Norfolk area as part of the Drinkaware campaign.
The charity was awarded a grant through the funded project in order to raise awareness of the issues alcohol in the workplace can cause and to safeguard individuals as well as the business. NORCAS will be providing the free training sessions for the next twelve months and anyone interested can contact Matt Wilson on 01603 227053 for more information.
Tender win secures additional one day course
NORCAS will be expanding its current course offerings as of December following a tender win from the DAAT. The cognitive behaviour therapy will be a one day course and will run at the end of the year.
The news comes just weeks after NORCAS completed its second safer injection courses for the Norfolk Drug and Alcohol Team which resulted in extremely positive feedback.
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Fundraising Update
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
News of Recent Fundraising Successes
NORCAS are now working in partnership with one of East Anglia’s longest established independent insurance brokers to help raise both awareness and funds for the services offered by the charity.
Hugh J Boswell will make a donation to NORCAS for every commercial policy which is taken through the company and in return the charity will be offering free awareness raising sessions covering drugs and alcohol in the workplace.
For a no-obligation quote call Peter Foster of Hugh J Boswell on 01603 727646 or
email .
NORCAS also has a charity golf day on behalf of the appeal coming up on Friday 16th September 2011 at Barnham Broom for £200 for a team of 4. For more information or to book a team please contact Matt Wilson from NORCAS on 01603 227053 or by email
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Internal Achievements and New Faces
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
Achievements
Congratulations to Isabel Pollock, who recently passed (with merit!) a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration. The 12 month Open University Masters Level course provides managers with the tools and techniques needed to improve performance in teams, departments, organisations and projects.
Welcomes
A big welcome to the following people who have joined the NORCAS team:
Alison Hall – Head of Service Delivery and Quality (Youth)
Helen Goldsworthy – Youth Worker at Great Yarmouth
Jade Claxton – Affected Others Worker
Goodbyes
NORCAS would like to say goodbye to those who have left the NORCAS team recently including Chris Lee, John Hall, Adam Greer, Chloe Wigg and Wendy Browne from head office and to all the staff in Lowestoft. We would like to thank them for their unique contribution to NORCAS over the years and we wish them every success in the future.
Congratulations
Congratulations go out to Anna Mills from Pinstripe PR who gave birth to baby Edward, weighing 7lbs on Friday 17th June and also James Sessa from the over 50s outreach team whose newest addition, Robert Ignazio Sessa, arrived the same day weighing 7lb 15oz!
Congratulations also go out to Jo Bancroft, from the Ipswich office, who got married on Thursday 23rd June in Santorini.
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A little Egg-citement
Posted on | May 5, 2011 | No Comments
The NORCAS team added a little Egg-citement to its Great Yarmouth office by running its first Easter egg decorating competition. The morale boosting contest had seven entries in total which included: ‘egg-ssex girl’, the ‘hippy egg’ and ‘egg-skin egg’, but there could only be one winner and the team chose ‘Lady Ga-egg’ in its tailored meat themed outfit!
The creator of the pop-themed masterpiece was supervisor Jo Lytton, who won a selection of chocolate goodies for her contribution to the Easter competition.
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NORCAS Great Yarmouth Gets Creative
Posted on | April 26, 2011 | No Comments
NORCAS Great Yarmouth Gets Creative
The Great Yarmouth branch of NORCAS has been tapping into its clients’ creative sides for therapeutic benefit with an art and craft programme within its Structured Day Programmes.
The artistic projects are part of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which encourages its service users to have a more positive outlook and also unearths hidden skills and talents.
The Structured Day Programmes, which encompass Alcohol Treatment Requirements and Drug Rehabilitation Requirements, look at all aspects of its service users lives and how they visualise things in order to inspire creativity. Clients use a variety of artistic techniques; from making collages from magazines and expressive painting through to simple sketches and drawing.
Team leader for the Great Yarmouth branch of NORCAS, Mitch Carmichael, said: “The creative element in our day programme is a good way of showing our service users that we all have hidden skills and talents. Some of the images created have been very powerful and emotive whilst others are primitive.
“I also created a canvas to show how our service users can channel negative thoughts into creativity. Writing down every drug or alcohol term I could think of and using those words to create a piece of art is a form of expression.”
Images from the NORCAS Art Exhibition can be viewed at http://www.96ktalkback.co.uk/norcasart2010/
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Young Carers Support NORCAS Marathon Run by Canary Chief
Posted on | March 23, 2011 | No Comments
Young Carers Support NORCAS Marathon Run by Canary Chief
Three young carers from Norfolk were invited to Norwich City’s home turf, to enjoy a VIP tour of the ground and help support the club’s Chief Executive, David McNally who is running the London Marathon on behalf of NORCAS’s Too Much Too Young Appeal.
http://www.canaries.co.uk/page/NewsDetails/0,,10355~2313966,00.html
To sponsor David’s marathon run please visit:
http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/davidmcnally
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