Background to Routes

Circle became an early adopter of the ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ programme in 2023, as part of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD) National Programme. The initiative offers a co-produced and evidence-based youth work model focused on solutions and assets to empower young people to shape their own lives. Developed with direct input from young people, ‘Routes’ supports young people to recognise the importance of their roots whilst acknowledging their families’ actions need not define their future paths.

Originally launched by SFAD in April 2019, the ‘Routes’ programme was made possible through funding from the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF) and the Scottish Government’s Drugs Policy Division. SFAD recognised the need for a different approach to supporting young people and young adults (ages 12-26 years) affected by someone else’s substance use.

Circle, SFAD and other ‘early adopters’ hope to directly reach more young people through this recognised effective approach to early intervention and prevention for young people affected by substance use within their families.

Launch Event

On Wednesday 15th January, Circle’s East Lothian Project had the pleasure of welcoming fantastic speakers and attendees to our launch event for the East Lothian dedicated ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ service. The event, held in the heart of the community at Prestonpans Community Centre celebrated the strengths of young people aged 12 to 26 who have been affected by a loved one’s substance use.

We heard from incredible young people who have been involved with ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ as they gave an insight into the powerful impact the support has had on their lives. We are incredibly grateful to the SFAD young people for their bravery and willingness to share their stories at the event.

We were thrilled to be joined by fantastic speakers with diverse expertise to celebrate the success of the Scottish Government funded and SFAD developed Grow Your Own Routes programme.

Speakers included two young people involved with Routes, Kirsten Adamson (CEO of Circle), Neil Hunter (Principal Reporter/Chief Executive of Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration), MSP Neil Gray (Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care), Claire Wadsworth (Programme Manager for National Routes), Andrew Christensen (Guidance Teacher at Preston Lodge High School), Hazel Fraser and Oliver Henderson (Circle Routes Staff) and Juliet Harris (Director of Together – Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights).

We’d like to thank all of our incredible young people, speakers, attendees and Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD) for making the event such a success!

Key themes threaded throughout the event
Children and young people at the centre

The young people themselves spoke about the importance of being listened to and having a safe space where they can determine their own future. Routes is entirely youth-led in that all the activities are decided by the young people themselves.

All speakers focused on the importance of the youth-led aspect of ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ and celebrated the young people as having incredible strength, wisdom and resilience. In response to the powerful insight given by the young people, our speakers reiterated the importance of children and young people’s views being at the heart of decisions that affect them. This is a key focus of Article 12 of the UNCRC.

“[Young People] know what they need to succeed. We need to work with them to support them, we need to listen to them and really take action on what they say. We have a responsibility to make sure that change is shaped by children and young people’s experiences, like those shared so powerfully today.”
– Juliet Harris (Together Scotland)

“People in this room have an absolute duty to make sure that in designing services and delivering services alongside [young people], we respect [young people’s] rights and make sure we give tangible effect to making sure [young people’s] rights are observed and delivered.”
– Neil Hunter (SCRA)

“It’s vital that we all work together with well informed services to ensure that young people are listened to, have advocacy and are given the opportunities they need without fear of stigma.”
– MSP Neil Gray (Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care)

Longevity of support matters

Of particular importance to children and young people and a unique aspect of ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ was the longevity of support offered. As a youth work model, support is available for as long as young people wish to access it. Young people who have been supported by ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ also highlighted the necessity of open-ended support in developing positive relationships with staff. The flexibility, reliability and consistency of support was identified as integral to the success of ‘Grow Your Own Routes’.

Andrew Christensen, a local guidance teacher at Preston Lodge High School spoke about the positive impact of the ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ programme on many of his students in East Lothian. He celebrated the Circle staff and their commitment to young people.

“The commitment to working with young people over a number of years through major milestones shows specialist experience, and a real understanding of the effects of addiction and substance use. [It shows] an understanding that sustainable results don’t come about overnight but require time to embed, to develop and to grow. We need to make sure that we are always creating the conditions where children and young people don’t just survive, but that they thrive.”
– Andrew Christensen (Guidance Teacher)

Reduction in stigma is essential for improved accessibility to support

Grow Your Own Routes was created to fill a gap in support for young people who are affected by drug and alcohol use of a family member. The young people spoke at length about the stigma associated with addiction and how this had impaired their ability to live the life they wanted.

MSP Neil Gray also acknowledged the stigma associated with substance use and celebrated the work of Routes in reducing stigma and shame for families. ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ focus on reducing stigma helps to better ensure that services are developed and accessed by people who need them.

“The most meaningful shift that we are engendering here in Scotland – including through the work that young people and staff are bringing to the Routes service – is that we are reducing the stigma. We know that services like Routes can have a positive long lasting impact on young people and that’s why it’s important to work together to take a system led, public health approach to substance use, not only for young people but for everyone.”
– MSP Neil Gray (Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care)

Interview

Our fantastic ‘Routes’ Young People interviewed our East Lothian Circle Staff about why they love working in the ‘Routes’ Project.

If you would like more information about Grow Your Own Routes, please get in contact with Project Manager Angela Gentile.

angela.gentile@circle.scot