The DCM Advocates (formerly ByMySide) was a Derby City Mission project working with Derby Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services.

The Adovcates project has now come to an end; we continue to support people struggling with addiction and other complex needs to maintain their housing through the expanded MyPlace project.

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The project is aimed at those with substance misuse issues and a history of rough sleeping or who are at high risk of being evicted. The team work intensively with the clients as their advocates and spend time building trust and act as a surrogate family as they often have little or no family support.

Due to their chaotic lifestyles, rough sleepers are rarely able to access detox or rehab so we are determined to give our clients the best chance of successful recovery by taking a holistic approach and showing them that change is possible. We have a daily light touch drop-in Recovery Programme and use a variety of techniques, including a wide range of activities and interests for our clients to build
their confidence and demonstrate they have a future post-recovery.

This project has really been good for me, and the activities they put on make me feel normal again and reminds me of the things I used to do. This project is definitely helping with my addiction and keeping me on track and in treatment.