Changing Lives at Oaktrees Newcastle

Changing Lives | The Oaktrees Project logo

Tell us about your organisation/department/project (your aims, what you do, who you work with):

Changing Lives at Oaktrees Newcastle is a community rehab for Newcastle residents. We offer a programme of recovery for people learning to live without drugs and/or alcohol. 

Attendance is for 12 weeks, with a structured timetable of groups and workshops from 9.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m., Monday to Friday. People are given support by staff and peers as they learn how to live in recovery from addiction.

The treatment programme is based around the 12-step peer-to-peer support (or 'mutual aid') programme of recovery.
 

Tell us why being a Haref Ally is important for you and your organisation

We are extremely proud to be part of the Haref Allies here at Oaktrees Newcastle.

We know there are many barriers to ethnically marginalised communities accessing drug and alcohol services. We want to work collaboratively to reduce these barriers.

We feel it is important that all staff are trained to improve our service to make it culturally competent so that all ethnically marginalised communities feel safe to access our service.
 

Tell us about anything that you or your organisation has done to improve how you work with ethnically marginalised communities

At Changing Lives at Oaktrees Newcastle, we are constantly evolving and deepening our commitment to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) within our organisation. 

Our initiatives aim to support not only our team members but also the diverse communities we serve. Some of the key steps we're taking include:

  • Unconscious Bias training for all staff
  • Running a dedicated DEIB Strategy Group
  • Running a variety of targeted community projects
  • Addressing the needs of Black and minoritised women facing sexual exploitation

Ultimately, through our work championing DEIB, we strive to make Changing Lives a place where everyone feels seen, supported and valued. 

Contact details for organisation: