Guidance

Part 4: glossary and resources

Updated 10 October 2024

Applies to England

Further reading

Recovery guidance

The 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce (2024 to 2034) for England describes the role of volunteers and peer support workers and makes recommendations on their recruitment, retention, training, development, supervision and support.

‘Above and beyond: the key role that families play in recovery’ on the Adfam resources page summarises the findings of a 2024 survey of people in recovery in the UK about the role of families in their recovery.

Guidance on supporting peer volunteers was co-produced with people with lived experience.

Getting started with your collegiate recovery programme toolkit (you need to register and create an account to access the toolkit) provides information, guidance and resources to help people looking to set up a collegiate recovery programme in the UK. It includes:

• a sample programme curriculum
• how to get started, including how to become a ‘recovery friendly campus’
• an outline of the role of the project manager and what skills they require
• case studies based on the existing programmes in the UK
• an outline of the first year of a UK programme

National LERO standards outline the standards that lived experience recovery organisations (LEROs) at different stages of development should meet. They also include a more comprehensive definition of a LERO.

The mutual aid toolkit helps commissioners, treatment providers and mutual aid organisations to facilitate access to mutual aid. This includes evidence briefings, and guidance for keyworkers, managers, commissioners and prison staff.

National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) ‘Community adult business definitions’ (available on the NDTMS events and training materials page) define the recovery support interventions provided while someone is in or after they leave treatment. This includes facilitated access to mutual aid, recovery check-ups and referrals into and from peer-led initiatives.

A recovery community organisations (RCOs) toolkit to support people setting up RCOs is available to download from Face and Voices of Recovery UK’s Association of Recovery Community Organizations (ARCO) and advocacy page.

Service user involvement in alcohol and drug misuse treatment provides guidance for alcohol and drug commissioners and providers on good practice in engaging people who use treatment and recovery services.

Research

John Kelly and William White’s 2011 edited volume Addiction recovery management: theory, research and practice introduces the theoretical foundations of recovery management and gives examples from the USA of recovery management in practice.

Jalie Tucker and Katie Witkiewitz’s 2022 edited volume Dynamic pathways to recovery from alcohol use disorder: meaning and methods brings together research on alcohol use disorder and recovery processes, definitions and outcomes.

The Recovery Research Institute summarises, synthesises and shares scientific findings on, and conducts novel research in, recovery science. This includes an ‘Addictionary’, which defines recovery-related terms, and a monthly bulletin.

Resources

Networks and associations

The Association of Recovery in Higher Education is a USA membership body representing collegiate recovery programmes. Their resources include a good practice guide on developing collegiate recovery programmes and example resources from existing programmes.

The Association of Recovery Schools is a USA accrediting body that sets operational and educational standards for recovery high schools.

The College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations (CLERO) is a network of LEROs led by lived experience leaders. CLERO has developed a map of LEROs in the UK.

Collegiate Recovery UK aims to support students and staff in recovery, and professionals working with students, to create collegiate recovery programmes across the UK.

Faces and Voices of Recovery UK is a national charity made up of people in recovery, their friends, families and RCOs. It runs UK ARCO, which RCOs are welcome to join.

The National Alliance for Recovery Residences works to expand the availability of well-operated, ethical and supportive recovery housing in the USA. This includes a national standard for the operation of recovery residences.

Further resources

Recovery Pathways is a free online course for treatment and recovery workers covering the science of recovery and the evidence on recovery pathways in Europe.

In the USA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has produced national standards for peer support certification.

Clinical guidance

Clinical and good practice guidelines have highlighted the evidence for and value of peer support and recovery support in treatment systems. This includes the:

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guideline Drug misuse in over 16s: psychosocial interventions (CG51)

• NICE clinical guideline Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence (CG115)

• NICE quality standard Drug use disorders in adults (QS23)

• Recovery Orientated Drug Treatment Expert Group guidance Medications in recovery: re-orientating drug dependence treatment

• Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management (the national clinical guidelines for providing drug treatment)

The consultation on the UK clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment has closed. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is analysing the feedback from respondents and a final outcome will be published in due course.

Glossary

A

Aftercare

Aftercare is the provision of time-limited support to a person after they leave alcohol or drug treatment. It is usually offered in the short term by the treatment provider.

Alliance contract

An alliance contract involves separate providers entering into a single contractual agreement with a commissioning body. All providers in the alliance share risk and responsibility for meeting the terms of that single contract.

Assertive linking

Assertive linking involves using buddying strategies designed to make sure a person accesses treatment, care or support.

Asset-based community development

Also known as strengths-based, asset-based community development focuses on individual or collective strengths and not on their deficits. Assets can include personal resources and attributes, social and community networks, associations and institutions.

Asset-based community development sees individual and community strengths and resources as the foundation for improving the community. This approach involves local associations, services, groups, networks and residents working together to identify, access and build local assets.

B

Buddying

Buddying refers to informal or formal, flexible support from a buddy. It typically focuses on supporting someone to attend appointments and activities and through transitions in their lives like leaving prison or moving into new accommodation. The ‘buddy’ is often a person with lived experience and is sometimes a volunteer. Buddies are paired with the people they will be supporting by a drug and alcohol treatment and recovery service or lived experience recovery organisation.

C

Cultural competence

Cultural competence is the ability of organisations and individual practitioners to effectively deliver services that meet the social, faith, cultural and linguistic needs of people from diverse groups and communities.

L

Lived experience

Lived experience is the experience of people and families who were previously affected by problem drug or alcohol use and are now in recovery. This is distinct from learned experience, which people can get through studying, practicing or exposure.

Lived experience initiatives

These include initiatives that are peer-delivered projects led by treatment or other service providers, and independent, peer-led organisations known as LEROs (see below for more information on LEROs).

Living experience

Living experience is the experience of people who are currently affected by their own or a family member’s problem alcohol or drug use.

Lived experience leader

Someone who uses their first-hand experience of a social issue to create positive change for, and with, communities and people they share those experiences with.

Lived experience recovery organisation (LERO)

A LERO is an independent organisation led by people with lived experience of drug and alcohol recovery. LEROs deliver a range of harm reduction interventions, peer support and recovery support, and help people to access and engage in treatment and other support services.

The College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations (CLERO) National standards for LEROs further define a LERO community group or provider.

M

Mutual aid

Mutual aid is the social, emotional and informational support provided by, and to, members of a group at every stage of recovery. The most common national mutual aid groups in England are:

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
• Families Anonymous (FA)
• Al-Anon (for families and friends)
• SMART Recovery

There are also emerging mutual aid groups and peer support options available in local areas and remotely.

P

Peer

A peer is someone who shares a common experience either currently or in the past, in this case of their own or another’s problem alcohol or drug use.

Peer-delivered

This is when people with lived experience deliver (but not lead) activities, groups, events, projects and services. For example, where a treatment (or other service) provider employs peer support workers or volunteers, we describe the projects or support these workers or volunteers offer as peer-delivered.

Peer-led

This is when people with lived experience independently lead activities, groups, events, projects, services or organisations. This includes LEROs (see above for more information on LEROs).

Peer support

This is when people use their own experience to help each other. It can be formally arranged through services or informally provided through friendship networks and communities. Common types of peer support include:

• buddying
• one to one support including coaching or mentoring
• mutual aid groups and one to one support from a sponsor (another member of the mutual aid group who is in recovery and supports people with their recovery)
• peer support groups

Peer support worker

A peer support worker is a paid worker who provides emotional and social support to others with whom they share a common experience of problem alcohol and drug use. The worker’s recovery status is an explicit part of the role. Role titles include peer navigator, recovery navigator, peer mentor, peer supporter, peer support worker and recovery coach.

R

Recovery

Recovery is:

• an individual process or journey of moving on from problem alcohol and drug use
• built on hope to sustain motivation and support expectations of an individually fulfilled life
• about enabling people to gain a sense of control over their own problems, the services they receive, and their lives
• about helping people to find opportunities to be active and contributing members of society

Recovery capital

Recovery capital describes the resources (personal, social and community) that are necessary to promote and sustain recovery. Resources such as:

• accommodation and physical and mental health (personal)
• supportive peers and family members (social)
• community attitudes and resources (community)

Recovery coach

A recovery coach is a person in recovery themselves who helps others to set and achieve goals important to their treatment or recovery. A recovery coach can be a volunteer or worker operating within a treatment or recovery support service. Some accredited training courses are available.

Recovery navigator

A recovery navigator works with people to understand how engaged they are with their community and to support them to engage with services. This role can be undertaken by treatment staff as part of treatment and recovery care planning, or by people working or volunteering for lived experience initiatives.

Recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC)

A ROSC is a network of local services and community groups that help people to start and sustain recovery. A ROSC incorporates the insight and work of people with lived and living experience and their families at all levels of planning and delivery to:

• offer choice by providing a flexible and inclusive menu of services, community support and opportunities (including lived experience initiatives), recognising that there are many pathways to recovery
• provide a range of responsive and inclusive support and opportunities for people in recovery and their families
• build on the strengths and resilience of individuals, families, recovery communities and the wider community

Recovery support

Recovery support covers a range of non-structured interventions that run alongside or after treatment and are designed to reinforce the gains made in treatment and improve the person’s quality of life in general. Recovery support can include:

• mutual aid and peer support
• practical help such as housing or employment support
• onward referrals

Treatment providers and recovery support services both provide recovery support.

Recovery support services

Recovery support services (RSS) offer support to people in recovery and their families, and benefit the wider community. They offer practical and emotional support to meet a person’s needs and build on their strengths. RSS can be delivered by treatment providers or LEROs.

T

Treatment and recovery care planning

Treatment and recovery care planning is the process for agreeing with a person in treatment a plan for what they want to address in their treatment and recovery, and how to achieve that.