No One Written Off?
In July the Green Paper “No One Written off: Reforming Welfare to Reward Responsibility” was published and The Department for Work and Pensions began a full consultation around the proposals. (open until October 22nd 2008). So what are the main proposals for drug users, what's their likely impact on services and partnerships? Most importantly will they meet the governments stated aim of reducing poverty and exclusion for people and communities affected by drug use or will they just make the problems worse?
Read More...Bean Counters and Harsh Winds
If we are really heading into a deep recession, with high rates of unemployment and increased poverty on the year to 18 month horizon for some of Britain's most vulnerable communities, what will this mean in terms of drug use and our responses? Can we do anything to tackle the problems *before* they happen this time round?
Read More...Work Works
Some pretty creative work around drug - and particularly - alcohol use has been funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) up and down the country over the past few years. Projects looking at regeneration, workskills - and in some of the most creative partnerships - essentially the elements of treatment we know should be in place but which simply weren't fundable through the pooled treatment budget - like workplace mentoring and advocacy schemes.
But in 2008, NRF ends. I know a lot of projects I've been talking to are worried that their funding won't be replaced by mainstream monies or by drug specific spend. There's a feeling too that no one is really putting pressure on local partnerships engaged in regeneration to think about drugs after NRF.
Well the Government has announced its replacement for NRF. Its called The Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF) and its going to be available to local partnerships (that is Local Strategic Partnerships*) in the most deprived areas to support initiatives that increase enterprise and get more people back into work. There's £1.5 billion going to 86 areas across England. The areas getting WNF were announced on the 6th December. Read More...