Who, what, why, where & when

In 48 hours time August 31st I’ll be on the way to Orlando to start the second leg of my Winston Churchill fellowship looking at Collegiate Recovery programmes and young people’s recovery support.

Here’s an overview of where I’m going and why.

31 August – 14th September Raleigh/Durham North Carolina 

University of North Carolina Collegiate Recovery programme. Here I hope to meet students to understand the benefits of being part of a CRP and living in sober accommodation.

I hope to visit local recovery services to chat to people who have been through a CRP and those planning on going to University to understand how it will add to their resilience. Is a university with a CRP more attractive to someone in recovery?

7th – 10th September Richmond, Virginia

I will be spending time with the McShin Foundation visiting a County Jail and celebrating recovery at Recoverfest and one of their infamous ‘Smokin meat not drugs’ barbecues. I will be again exploring with the people I meet how important young people’s recovery support is and CRP’s

14th – 18th September San Francisco 

San Mateo University and a weekend off meeting up with friends (one of them doesn’t know it yet 🙈Surprise!🙈

18th – 26th September Lubbock, Texas

Following the first leg of my fellowship in Prague I will meet back up with Professor Kimball and Vincent Sanchez at Texas Tech University. I’m looking forward to comparing the similarities & differences with one the USA’s oldest Collegiate Recovery programmes.

26 – 29 September Houston, Texas

 All being well due to the impact of Hurricane Harvey I will be visiting Archway Academy, Sober High School. Having this opportunity to see how an abstinence approach to recovery from the age of 15 in a school setting is really exciting. I doubt we will get anywhere near this thinking in the UK for many years. I will also be cathing up with the president of Young People in Recovery, a national organisation supporting and mobilising recovery ready communities of young people.

And that is it. A challenge and an adventure, the only downside is leaving family behind. A sacrifice worth making in the hope I can influence change when I get back. Wish me luck