There is more than just the customer impacted by engagement with New Routes. Reporting on achieved outcomes only captures a part of the journey by the customer. A stable family environment, a positive pro-social peer group and a fiscal saving are all direct results of New Routes working alongside this customer.
Our Mentor shared this story:
I have been working with John now for almost a year. When we first met he highlighted that he needed support to find employment, help to secure housing, and address his addiction issues. This was his fourth time in prison along with 15 non-custodial convictions, it would be reasonable to say he was a prolific offender. He was also facing historic charges before his involvement with New Routes and was looking at a lengthy sentence. Like a large percentage of our customer base his criminal activity revolved around being under the influence of a substance, John’s substance of choice was alcohol.
Before we set out his personal action plan I asked the question “Why now, what’s changed?” He replied he was about to become a dad. This was his motivation; he wanted to become a role model for his about to be born baby.
By his own admission this was something he lacked in his own childhood. There was another issue weighing on his mind that the baby might be taken from the mother at birth due to a pre-birth child protection order being served on the unborn child. His partner had a child removed from her when she was 16. This was mainly due to poor parenting skills and a lack of family support from her father. Her mother had passed away when she was 3 years old.
We set out a plan and worked steadily towards John’s goals. Accommodation was secured through a scatter flat for him and his partner. He was referred to a community addiction service. I then referred him to the Celtic foundation gateway to employment, through this he was successful in getting a six months work placement with Glasgow wood recycling.
I then took on an advocacy role for John and his partner at the child protection hearings. This would involve social work, health workers and the police. It soon became apparent that I would have to work with them both as I had built up a good trusting relationship with John and his partner.
John is now a father to a baby girl and it’s remarkable to see how this young man has taken to the role. John now has full time employment with Glasgow wood recycling and has just completed his forklift driving licence to further reinforce his positon in the company. He no longer sees his addiction worker and is taking it one day at a time alcohol free, he attends Alcohol Anonymous regularly.
His family has a new permanent home. Their new born baby is now off the child protection orders as they have shown that they are responsible, caring parents.
I can’t emphasis enough what an achievement this is. John appeared at court for his historic charges and was spared a jail term due to the positive actions he took to changing his life around. He has completed his community payback order and is free and clear of any further charges.
John has a stable family life, a secure and safe home, has a group of positive friends around him that don’t have a criminal identity, he is a tax paying employed man and now paying back into society, he is free of all criminal charges and saving the taxpayer thousands by staying out of custody. John feels his biggest achievement is he now feels he is a strong role model for his child.
All it took was to show I believed in him, as a family they could trust me, that I never promised anything I could not deliver and that I had their families interests at the heart.
