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Addressing Stigma and Employability Challenges for Substance Users in Ayrshire and Arran

This report delves into the stigma associated with substance use and its impact on education, training, and employment in Ayrshire and Arran. It presents local and national perspectives, highlighting the concerning unemployment rates among individuals engaged with addiction services. Through various welfare reform initiatives and employability programs, it aims to identify barriers and propose solutions to support recovery and reintegration into the workforce. The importance of collaboration between local services, employers, and educational institutions is emphasized for effective outcomes.

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Addressing Stigma and Employability Challenges for Substance Users in Ayrshire and Arran

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  1. Irene Campbell Ayrshire and ArranAlcohol and Drug Action Team

  2. Stigma – Education, training and employment … • Local perspective • National perspective • Welfare reforms – Green Paper

  3. Stigma – Education, training and employment ………… • Local perspective – Ayrshire and Arran Employability Framework 2007 • Provided information on range of local options: employability, benefits and New Deal programmes

  4. Local - Ayrshire and ArranUnemployment figures • 86.5% (March 2007) of clients (drugs) engaging with local Addiction Services were unemployed • 74% (March 2007) of clients (alcohol) were unemployed

  5. National – unemployment figures • Unemployment rate among people entering drug treatment is 70% • National (UK) average 5.5% (July 2008)

  6. Employability – National • Workforce Plus • New Futures Fund • Fairer Scotland Fund • Employability programmes • Progress 2 Work • Pathways to Work • Voluntary Organisations • Local Colleges • Employers

  7. Stigma - Employability barriers • Attitudes of others e.g. employers, colleagues • Health issues – e.g. Hepatitis C • Homelessness • Methadone programme

  8. UK Benefits System • Complex • 3 main benefits – Jobseekers Allowance (JSA), Incapacity Benefit (IB) & Income Support (IS) • Other benefits – Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit & Bereavement Benefit • Working Tax Credits

  9. Future Benefits System • Employment Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefit & Income Support (paid on grounds of incapacity) - from 27 October 2008 • Simplification of benefits system in coming years

  10. No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility • “expecting problem drug users on benefits to take appropriate steps – such as drug treatment or employment provision – that support a return to work

  11. No one written off – reforming welfare to reward responsibility • Estimate – 240,000 people in England on benefits dependent on opiates or crack cocaine • Estimate - up to 100,000 problem drug users on benefits are not in drug treatment • Links to key objectives in Home Office Drug Strategy • First priority – to ensure that “we can effectively identify problem drug users in the benefits system

  12. No one written off – reforming welfare to reward responsibility • 400 people on JSA recorded as having a drug problem – less than 0.5% of total JSA claimants • 2% recorded on IB • Estimate – 7% of all JSA & IB recipients are problem drug users

  13. New approach to identification – proposals • Proposals to legislate to enable sharing of information between Jobcentre Plus (JCP) and the police, probation services and prisons • Explore options to share information between Prison Service and JCP to fast-track support for identified problem drug users • Inviting views – merits of changing benefit rules to require all applicants for benefit to declare whether they are addicted to heroin or crack cocaine

  14. Proposals - new approach • Requirement to see a drug treatment provider • Specialist Employment Adviser • Draw up a rehabilitation Plan • Possible introduction of Treatment Allowance whilst an individual stabilises their condition • Drug Co-ordinators within JCP

  15. Welfare Reforms – is a consistent UK approach possible? • Health – devolved • Social Security – reserved • No link to the Road to Recovery • ……Explore in consultation with the Scottish Executive (sic)…..

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