Supporting recovery and wellbeing
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
At Your Voice Counts, we provide tailored support to help people with learning disabilities and autistic people take positive steps to improve their health and wellbeing. This support ranges from raising awareness of healthy lifestyle choices and organising wellbeing activities to offering one-to-one support that helps people access the health services they need.
As part of Dry January, we organised a series of activities designed to promote the message that socialising and wellbeing do not need to centre around alcohol. The sessions aimed to raise awareness of alcohol-related harm while encouraging healthier lifestyle choices in a positive and engaging way.
Activities included:
A mocktail-making session showcasing alcohol-free alternatives
A tasting session featuring non-alcoholic beer, cider and prosecco to challenge perceptions around taste and social drinking
A short exercise session demonstrating how much physical activity is needed to burn off the calories consumed through alcohol, helping people better understand the physical impact of drinking.
Partnership working is an important part of our approach so we also invited South Tyneside Adult Recovery Service (STARS) to one of the sessions where they spoke about alcohol misuse and the support available locally for people wanting to make changes to their drinking habits.
Following the sessions, two people we support felt inspired to reflect on their own alcohol use and approached us for additional support. Anthony asked for help completing a referral to STARS and we then accompanied him to his initial assessment and have continued to provide encouragement throughout his recovery journey.
Since attending that first session, Anthony has remained alcohol-free and has even inspired another person we support, Barry, to seek support from STARS as well.
Anthony said:
“I’m really proud of myself. It took me a long time to decide to start, but I’m pleased I did. I no longer have the shakes, I feel good in myself, I’m sleeping better and looking better. I’m doing everyone proud, including myself. I’m not going to the shop as often, so I’m saving money. I feel so good and can now go to the gym and swimming. Thanks for your help.”
Barry added:
“I’ve had 100% support from YVC and STARS and I’m feeling much better and happier in myself. I can feel myself smiling a lot more and I feel very proud when people tell me they are proud of me. I don’t sweat or have the shakes anymore, and I’m saving money.”
Anthony and Barry have become a great source of encouragement for one another, supporting and motivating each other throughout their recovery journeys. As part of our holistic approach to wellbeing, we have also supported both men to sign up to a local gym to help them build positive routines and maintain their progress.
We are incredibly proud of Anthony and Barry and the progress they have made. Their determination, honesty and willingness to support one another are inspiring.
