Overdue: 247 days
Public benefits
The direct benefits which flow from the purpose of our organisation is that beneficiaries will have an increase in both physical as well as mental wellbeing by the reduction in alcohol and substance misuse. Individuals will gain a more positive outlook to the future as well as hold a sense of self-worth and growth with the knowledge that other
choices are available. Through education they will feel part of a wider society and community again. The families of those with an addiction will have decreased stress and anxiety by being part of a peer led group which fosters a sense of support and belonging. Younger generations within families will be able to follow a more positive example from older family members using substances therefore breaking the cycle of addiction. Individuals and families will feel less isolated within the community and will gain more opportunities to enhance social skills, self-esteem and resilience. Further public benefits include that there will be less crime and antisocial behaviour which will have a positive effect on the wider community by having resources more widely available, younger generations will be better educated on the harmful effects and consequences of substance misuse which will help break the cycle of addiction within families and that the community as a whole including other community groups will be more aware of the nature of addiction and gain a better understanding when building relationships together. The benefits can be demonstrated by way of decreased substance and alcohol misuse measured through feedback questionnaires, monitoring and evaluations carried out. Service users will also provide feedback through service user forums to demonstrate benefits. The community will be better informed of alcohol and substance misuse through the greater knowledge being distributed. The benefits will also be demonstrated through the positive publicity through regularly social media accounts, the website as well as press releases and marketing distribution. Volunteers as well as service users will continue to seek employment by transferring skills developed through activities to other groups within the community. There is no harm flowing from any of the above purposes. The beneficiaries are those who are affected by substance misuse individually, the families and carers of those affected by substance misuse, the children of those affected by substance misuse, young people in education and other agencies benefiting from our services. The only private benefit flowing from the purposes is that as our staff are being continually trained and developed and as a result when they leave employment when their funding ends these skills are taken by the employee to their new employment .The employees leave BFASG better qualified than when they first were employed and this is incidental and necessary because the staff need to be trained and developed in this area of work so as they can do their jobs and support service users to their best ability.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
Ballymena Family and Addict Support Group or as we are know The Hope Centre provide a large centre for those who suffer from addiction, their families and/or their carers. The clients can visit the centre daily for group support, one to one support, counselling, holistic therapies or to join various programmes. The programmes include educational
programmes such as drug and alcohol misuse, the safe use and disposal of prescription and over the counter medication, physical well being which includes healthy nutrition as well as access to a fully equipped and supervised gym, mental health well being and further workshops such as suicide awareness, IT training, arts and crafts and outings. The centre provides a place whereby family members and carers can come to interact with the service users or attend regular groups as well as one to one support groups provided by the support team. Conferences and information sessions are held to provide carers and family members with the tools they may need. The conferences may also be attended by other agencies which helps raise awareness of BFASG and it's work. The centre has a website which is updated regularly as well as social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter. The BFASG regularly updates the local newspapers with activities and functions being carried out as well as advertising the need for the service and the funding required. The BFASG visits community groups as well as schools to raise awareness of the work carried out. Volunteers are recruited to help carry out the project activities and are given the opportunity and encouraged to gain training which may lead them to continue a career in this field when they leave the Centre. The volunteers use their skillset to either help with therapies, IT, support, training, administration or take the group on outings.
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of health or the saving of lives
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Who the charity helps
- Addictions (drug/solvent/alcohol abuse)
- Adult training
- Carers
- Children (5-13 year olds)
- Community safety/crime prevention
- Ethnic minorities
- Ex-offenders and prisoners
- General public
- Interface communities
- Men
- Mental health
- Older people
- Parents
- Physical disabilities
- Sexual orientation
- Specific areas of deprivation
- Travellers
- Unemployed/low income
- Victim support
- Voluntary and community sector
- Volunteers
- Women
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Community development
- Counselling/support
- Cross-border/cross-community
- Education/training
- General charitable purposes
- Human rights/equality
- Medical/health/sickness
- Relief of poverty
- Volunteer development
- Youth development
