Michael

After years spent in and out of jail, and embroiled in a life of crime and substance misuse Michael did a sentence in HMP Belmarsh. It was here, through contact with the Counselling, Advice, Referal, Assessment Throughcare team that he decided to turn his life around.

Michael fully immersed himself in recovery, and became a peer mentor in prison. Upon release Michael was assessed and engaged with CRI's New Direction service. In, what is often a difficult transition phase for service users, Michael was supported and encouraged by his key worker to continue the momentum that he had built in prison. Through regular contact with the service, Michael has become an outstanding example of service user involvement. He is a key member of New Direction's service user group, has begun CRI’s peer mentor training programme and is often around to support other service users on their journey.

Through engaging with New Direction’s peer mentors, Michael has become a member of Goldsmith's University and started a counselling course at City Lit. Due to CRI’s links with the local Career Development Group and benefit office, Michael is being funded to complete his counselling diploma and is currently awaiting funding to get a laptop to aid his studies.

* Names have been changed to protect the identity of the service users who shared their stories with us.