A team that helps support people recovering from problematic drug and alcoholic use recently won a prestigious award.
North Ayrshire Libraries were announced Project Excellence winners at the Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC) Awards for the innovative work they do for the people and the communities they serve.
They launched the service at Kilwinning Library after teaming up with Health and Social Care Partnership colleagues in a bid to find non-clinical premises in the town to operate the North Ayrshire Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (NADARS).
This new service was developed and operational within three months from the initial contact with minimal cost to either service – building on each other’s strengths.
Proud Moment: Mhairi Cook and Lisa Morton, from Libraries, with the SLIC 2023 Project Excellence winner’s award.
NADARS has seen a rise in engagement, as clients enjoy the experience of a non-stigmatised venue with a warm welcome and tea/coffee from library staff.
Equally NADARS staff benefit from the relaxed atmosphere and the layout of the rooms and have built up a good relationship with library staff.
Member of staff Lisa Morton, who is a Lifelong Learning Coordinator, said:
“We were delighted and honoured to win this award. The service has been a great success and we are really proud to have played a part in it.
“It is great that two teams, which on paper are quite different, have come together to find a way of delivering something like this.
“Libraries are at the heart of the community and this service is being delivered with empathy in a non-judgemental space.
The facility was set up to support the Scottish Government’s Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards which addresses how people are encouraged to engage in and remain in treatment to support their recovery from problematic drug use by accessing support locally.