Young addicts offered help

Underage drinkers swigging cider in Oxfordshire's parks, young crack cocaine addicts and other substance abusers are being urged to get help from a new advice service.

Oxford-based Evolve has helped 35 young people aged between 10 and 18 since it was set up six months ago.

Homeless teenagers, children excluded from mainstream schools, young offenders and isolated teenagers in rural areas are among the people Evolve workers are supporting.

Senior harm reduction worker Chris Courtney said: "One of the most challenging things is reaching those young people who really really need the service.

"It is those ones who are street homeless and are very much underground we need to be reaching.

"When you reach those young people and they respond, that is the most rewarding part of this work. When they are not responding, that is very hard."

He said they offer help to teenagers to help them know how to avoid predicaments like the one 14-year-old David from Wallingford, got himself into.

David spent three hours on a drip in hospital after downing a litre of vodka.

Evolve manager Jane McDonald said: "The challenge is getting into the rural areas, like this case in Wallingford."

As well as Mr Courtney and Ms McDonald, Evolve employs three project workers and is set to get a nurse and a psychiatrist.

Mr Courtney said some youngsters are reluctant to respond to help offered by Evolve, while others are really motivated.

It is not an abstinence-based project, but encourages 'harm reduction' and staff produce a support package for each young person they work with.

When youngsters get to Evolve, which is based in Park End Street, Oxford, they are allocated a key worker.

Ms McDonald said: "Often it's the relationship with the key worker that is the key thing, having someone they can trust and talk to."

Mr Courtney said he has to accept some of the young people he works with will continue to use drugs.

He said: "You give them the tools to make their use a lot safer.

"It may be as simple as telling them not to use drugs on their own or talking about how much they use, or telling them to smoke drugs rather than inject, or if they are drinking, how to stay safe on the streets."

He said hopefully after that kind of intervention, a young person may decide they want help cutting down or giving up drugs or alcohol.

The average age of a youngster referred to Evolve is 15 for Oxfordshire as a whole and 16 for Oxford.

The main problem is alcohol and cannabis in the county and class A drug use in the city.

So far, they have had children as young as 13 referred to them, but have not yet had any 10-year-olds.

Ms McDonald said the 13-year-olds tend to be into alcohol and cannabis and it is the older ones who are more likely to have started taking heroin and crack cocaine.

Anyone who wants more information can log on to www.evolve.oxon.co.uk or call 01865 723909.

Case study

After drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis for four years, an Oxford 17-year-old is turning her life around with the help of Evolve.

The teenager, who asked not to be named, had a conviction for assault causing actual bodily harm and said she used to get into fights after binge drinking.

She was referred to Evolve by her social worker three months ago, and since then has cut down on her alcohol intake and started college.

She said: "I have been a binge drinker, drinking cider and vodka in the park. I have a conviction, but I haven't offended since I have been with Evolve.

"I started off smoking cannabis and was quite a heavy user, then my group of friends went from cannabis to alcohol, and it was every day.

"Evolve has helped to motivate me. Before, I would have been sat drinking in the park because I didn't have anything else to do."

She said her Evolve substance misuse worker, Merlene Napier, had helped set her goals like seeing how long she could go without drinking alcohol.

She also set up an interview at an Oxford college and registered her with job agencies.

The girl said: "I've kept a drink diary and written down how much I'm drinking, what the price is and how many calories I'm drinking.

"It's quite scary because if you don't write it down, you don't remember. I have cut down on my drinking, I am not drinking to get drunk any more.

"Evolve is helpful because it motivates you to see the health risks and what you are doing to your body.

"When I first got here it was quite scary, but the workers are really easy to get on with.

"It has helped me to see there is a future other than drinking and it's made me see that drinking like I was is not normal."

Oxford Mail