What We Do - Aims & Objectives

Realistic and Achievable Aims

We aim to work with the experiences within the group and that each individual brings. We work in encouraging and constructive ways, welcome diversity and share all views and opinions in a confidential manner.

Our aim is to provide a safe, supportive and non judgemental environment as we believe people are more open to learning in an atmosphere of trust and respect.

The Programme Encourages Hope

We believe that people access treatment out of hope not desperation. Their situations and needs may be desperate, but there is still the hope of the possibility for help and change.

The programme encourages hope with positive achievable outcomes and that change is possible. The programme encourages hope with ongoing support regardless, by offering personal development and awareness, and by meeting needs unconditionally.

The programme encourages hope by working to individual needs of recovery, viewing recovery as unique as their addiction.

We encourage the belief that there is life after drugs by working to a Social Learning Model of recovery rather than the Diseased Concept of Addiction.

Motivation for change

Change can take place at any moment, if we are to assume that all beliefs are generalisations, then with new learning and reframing, we can choose what we believe in any given moment and then determine how to best put into effect our feelings and thoughts about our choices around our behaviour.

We will work with individuals around their individual belief and values.

The success of the Service User will be determined by the outcome and joint care plans.

There is no failure at Kickstart, we only work with feedback and new found learning.

We believe that all behaviour has positive intention and from this they Key-worker and Service User will work together to build the User's recovery.

With clarity around the Service User's own emotions the Key-worker can then begin to understand and identify what support is needed. Often feelings conflict with rational thought and the Service User may not fully understand why he/she is feeling that way. Work needs to be undertaken with the Service User to identify what feelings are being experienced at the time and for them to accept their own perceptions rather than diminish what they feel as ‘unreasonable’ or ‘silly’ or just because it doesn’t make sense to others.

Having a clear understanding of unconscious behavioural strategies and how they serve is developed through awareness training for the staff. If pre-supposing that thinking determines self image and shapes behaviour, the majority of what people are able to do ( or not to do) is directly related to our internal programmes. Consequently, the ability to do anything is based upon the ability to influence thinking patterns to re-programme the mental process and network of internal resources ….. the writer Goethe called this process “the genius, power and magic in ourselves”.

Sense of Belonging

Kickstart is more than service treatment. We pride ourselves very highly on our community spirit and sense of belonging, and achieve this by offering a warm and friendly environment.

• Giving unconditional positive regard.
• You are accepted for being you regardless.
• We offer you a clean and stable environment.
• People working with people whom you can trust.

Positive Role Models

Kickstart has an equal balance of staff ration between ex users and non – users. We believe that this is important in demonstrating that people can get their lives back and progress to rewarding careers if they choose.

People who have never used illicit substances do have model strategies of living life in a balanced way without the need to balance it with substances. People who are clean and have left the programme, share their own success years after attending Kickstart, demonstrating that recovery is possible.

Clients on the programme are not expected to do anything the staff would not prepared to do themselves. Staff are also randomly urine sampled and breathalysed. Kickstart works with people in a time of transition; there is no us and them.

The greatest learning is the experiences of the group and of the Key-workers.

These experiences and education brought are invaluable and career development for all staff is of utmost importance in order to deliver a service of excellence.

Unconditional Positive Regard

We believe in offering a service to meet all Clients’ needs, including all areas of diversity through:-

• Working with people regardless of their personal situation.
• Meeting the needs of emotionality through really being there in the moment.
• Having clear guidelines of personal / professional boundaries.
• We take the view that we are working with people who consequently became addicted.
• We welcome and support all cultural and religious needs; this is supported and structured through individual care planning.

The programme is structured for ‘Change’, support is an ongoing process, there is no cut off point for ongoing support.