COUNCILLORS and community figures are set to hear of plans to help make Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands a community to help people recover from drug or alcohol addiction.
A report entitled ‘Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands – building a ROSC (recovery-oriented system of care) community’ will go before a meeting next week.
An invitation has been extended for partners to build on existing work in the area, which aims to make stronger connections with local recovery groups.
The report will go before Argyll and Bute Council’s Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands community planning group at its meeting on Wednesday, May 27.
An Argyll and Bute community development officer said: “The community development team have been commissioned to empower, enable and build capacity within the ROSC community, working alongside key community partners and national partners, such as Scottish Recovery Consortium.
“Recovery is a process through which a person addresses their problem drug and/or alcohol use to become an active and contributing member of society. (Scottish Government, 2014).
“A focus on recovery is an asset-based approach that acknowledges that people can and do recover, particularly when the partners work together so that treatment, review and aftercare are integrated and priority is given to empowering people to sustain their recovery.”
The report added: “While alcohol and drug partnership had met in the MAKI area, they have not existed for a while. Therefore the ROSC partnership was building on new territory.
“Partners have been invited to join any one or more of the three MAKI ROSC that are relevant to their remit: there are ROSC meetings in Mid Argyll, (usually held in Lochgilphead); Kintyre (usually held in Campbeltown) and in Islay (alternating between Port Ellen and Bowmore).
“Each is developing differently, reflecting their local culture, needs and capacity. Meetings are held in person every quarter. To date there have been three rounds of meetings.
“Islay ROSC have so far created a trifold information flier that can be used as early key information for families and individuals. There is a single circulation list for all three ROSC so that persons with a remit across the whole area can attend one but also get minutes and agenda of the others.”
The officer also said: “With this partnership approach involving statutory, third sector and living experience, we intend to improve the experience of recovery and ensure greater success.
“All partners are invited to join the mailing list in order to get agenda and minutes. You can then decide when or where to participate in the meetings, offering expertise, capacity and potentially budget.
“With a strong local membership we can increase ambition and support the expertise and compassion of existing work across the area.”
