 |
The Nehemiah Project We provide a home and support for men with a history of addiction to change their lives. Our residential programme is abstinence-based and provides structure and a supportive environment in which men can address the root causes for their addiction, learning to make informed choices about their lives and breaking out of the cycle of addiction which has severely affected their lives. Our Residents invariably report multiple hardships, which often include care, homelessness and prison, becoming marginalised as the result of addiction which has severely affected them, their families and the wider community. The Nehemiah Project has been providing this support for over 20 years in South London, but is open to men from anywhere in the country - the most important thing is a man's genuine desire to change. Our belief that Nehemiah works is borne out by our results. The national average for remaining abstinent for a year is 30%; at Nehemiah 67% of residents remain abstinent after one year. Nearly 50% of released prisoners reoffend within 12 months and for London prisons this figure increases to 60%. At Nehemiah, as far as we know, only 5% of the men we have worked with in the last five years have reoffended. An estimated 70% of rough sleepers suffer from mental ill health. Revolving door clients, who are stuck in a cycle of being housed and losing their tenancy to return to the streets, need the sort of help offered by A New Future to change their behaviour and break the cycle. Anecdotally, no-one has returned to rough sleeping after leaving Nehemiah. At a recent graduation for men who had completed the first-stage of our programme, A New Future, Mick said: “11 months ago I had nowhere to go. The chances of me going back to prison were high, but I came to Nehemiah and I am still here now. I am going to college. I want to start my own business. It is time to start a new chapter in my life. I am so thankful. This place has given me the space to think and stay safe.” For further information on donating to this charity tel 020 8773 7417 or visit their website at www.tnp.org.uk |