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Motiv8 Addiction Services

 

Over the past few years Motiv8 Addiction Services, formerly the Isle of Man Alcohol Advisory Service, has been awarded grants by Manx Lottery Trust. The charity’s team of highly qualified and experienced counsellors is dedicated to treating anyone affected by alcohol, drugs and gambling addiction, and provides specialist support free of charge to anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s addictive behaviour.

Manx Lottery Trust awarded an initial grant to the charity in 2017. This funding allowed the team to attend an advanced drugs training course, which provided vital knowledge and information about current drug trends and how the counsellors can support users of new psychoactive substances, commonly known as legal highs. The team has also, importantly, used the training to raise awareness of the risks associated with legal highs and other drugs in local high schools and University College Isle of Man.

In 2018 a second grant of £20,000 was awarded to help pilot its new group programme, SMART Recovery, which aims to equip those attempting to change their lives and gain recovery from addictive behaviours with essential life skills. The initiative was launched in April 2018 and helps service users to develop and improve life skills to assist with their ongoing rehabilitation and successful integration back into the community.

The course was carefully constructed following months of research by Motiv8, where the need to teach basic living skills, which can be hindered through addiction, was identified. The Director of Public Health’s 2018 Annual Report acknowledged that 13,500 people on the Isle of Man are sadly affected by alcohol. 

Motiv8 hopes the groups will be continued and expanded on having seen the enormous contribution they have made to local people battling addiction. People state they no longer feel alone and are finding support, knowledge, empowerment and recovery friendships through these initiatives.

Thea Ozenturk, Chief Executive Officer of Motiv8 Addiction Services, said: ‘Manx Lottery Trust’s support has played a vital part in our progression and development over the past couple of years. The advanced training course equipped us with important knowledge which we have used to support multiple individuals and raise awareness at a local level.

‘It would also not have been possible to launch the group work programme or see the continuation of SMART recovery without the grant from Manx Lottery Trust. It has been a huge help in getting the programme up and running and we are delighted with how it has progressed over the past 10 months, the Trustees support has been invaluable.’