Dennis spent many years battling substance misuse and has been to prison. Dennis is now comfortable in his self-contained flat with Nacro and is receiving support from his key worker, Paul, giving him the stable foundation to focus on his recovery, personal growth and art.
Keeping his head above the surface
Dennis had an unstable childhood — moving house frequently, leaving school at 15 and being introduced to alcohol and drugs at an early age. His substance misuse worsened as he got older, and he describes working full-time and maintaining a relationship whilst “trying to keep a lid” on his alcohol and drug use.
The breakdown of his marriage caused significant stress and Dennis found himself homeless — moving between sleeping on the streets, B & Bs and night shelters. Dennis’ substance misuse escalated. He resorted to crime to fund his habit and eventually ended up in prison. He describes feeling “like a prisoner to himself”.
Things went up and down for a while, and he remembers “trying to keep his head above water” and “spinning the plates” of a full-time job and addiction.
After many years and several attempts at getting clean that didn’t last, Dennis finally decided his life needed to change. With support from Change Grow Live and NA mentors, he completed rehab and moved into a community recovery house, where he started volunteering and pursuing his longstanding interest in art. He started to feel more much more positive about the future.
Finding a stable base with Nacro
Having worked hard to turn his life around and being two years sober, Dennis feels happy living in one of Nacro’s self-contained flats, part of our supported housing services.
Dennis says of Nacro:
“What Nacro has given me is somewhere comfortable where I feel safe, and I don’t have to worry about anything else. It comes with furniture, is nicely decorated and feels like home. Because I’m comfortable and settled here, I’m free to concentrate on myself, and it allows me to have a bigger, better and stronger foundation moving forwards.”
“I’ve now got the opportunity to work on my recovery, my own personal growth and my art. This flat is a golden ticket to my new life and the chances of relapse are significantly reduced.”
Dennis is currently studying art at college and, with the help of his Nacro support worker Paul, is hoping to move into a part-time role utilising his skills.
