Uniand Salvation Armyjoin totackle addiction
The Salvation Army and the University of Stirling have gone into partnership to help tackle alcohol and drug use.
A new centre for addiction services and research has been set up at the university to prevent substance use problems and reduce harm for individuals, their families and communities.
The centre is the third phase of the Salvation Army’s Scotland Drug and Alcohol Strategy, which was launched in 2013 and has already seen highly-trained support workers positioned in Stirling, Aberdeen, Falkirk and Greenock.
Salvation Army envoy William McMurray, who leads the community church in Stirling, said the partnership with the university would produce ground-breaking research to help improve the support given to vulnerable people.
Speaking at the launch of the centre on Friday, he said: “This new partnership will have a direct impact on the work of the Salvation Army in Stirling and around the country.
“The central aim of our recovery model is harm reduction through community support. That involves a personal treatment plan, partnership working, functional analysis, behavioural skills, social and recreational counselling, employment skills and relationship counselling. We have a fighting spirit to reach the whole person, even when they don’t believe in themselves anymore.”
The collaborative working between the Salvation Army and the faculty of social sciences at the university will be led by Dr Tessa Parkes, centre director and the current centre team, which includes Dr Hannah Carver, knowledge exchange fellow, Dr Maria Fotopoulou, lecturer in criminology, and Marcus Cusack, knowledge exchange assistant.
Professor Alison Bowes, dean of the faculty, said: “The team is dedicated to producing ground-breaking research and disseminating their work widely including through policy briefings, online media, and new educational programmes for those working in the Salvation Army and beyond.”
The Salvation Army’s secretary for Scotland, Lt Col Carol Bailey, said: “As a church and charity, The Salvation Army has a proven track record of evidence-based social programmes through our work with vulnerable people experiencing homelessness.
“This research partnership will take our strategy in Scotland a step further by drawing on the experience of Professor Bowes and her team to take us on a new journey with the vision that we can provide a strong voice on intervention strategies.”