The Volunteers “The essence of Choose Life”
The volunteers are at the very heart of this project, and we have had over six hundred of them over a period of ten years. In all that time we have never seen someone give up drugs and carry on committing crime, we have seen the relapse and start committing crime, but it is the case once the crime stops so does the drugs.
Once someone comes off drugs they always want to give something back to the community and our volunteers have been fantastic. Here are some comments from our volunteers;
Kevin O’brien
My name is Kevin O’Brien and I’ve been clean for a year and a half, before that i was a drug addict for nearly 27 years.
Since being involved with choose life project for over 6 months now, i have been giving talks to children of different ages and also talks to the police for their training. I have talked about my differcult up bringing which lead me to wanting to to be excepted by others.
I can honestly say in all the time I’ve been on choose life it has helped my recovery in every way, from the feed back from the kids to the feed back from the police. The knowledge of knowing if i can advise one child not to go down the same path as me, is a great achivement, and for the police an under standing that behind every addict is a real person, and what got them addicted to drugs in the first place.
Its my hope they will communicate better with addicts, and this work is a great way forward in understanding addiction. and i thank steven for giving me that very chance in my new life.
Kerry Western
My name is Kerry and I was a drug user for 31yrs. I’m now almost 3yrs clean and have been coming out with Choose Life for just over 2yrs now. I really enjoy the experience of going into Schools and Youth Clubs and giving people the benefit of my experience. Although none of us ever tell any of the young people never to use drugs, we do a play, and true life stories to show where it can lead to. I’ve had quite a few young people come up to me and firstly thank me for being frank with them and saying they learnt something from what myself and the other volunteers are saying. I also like going to Greater Manchester Police because it helps make them aware that first and foremost drug users are actual people, and secondly to make them aware that in most instances the police are more than likely the only professionals that drug addicts come into contact with, and that they could play a massive part in getting an addict the help and support they need. I think for a lot of us volunteers there was no formal ‘drug education’ while we were at school, and for a lot of us it still might have been to late, but we’ll never know that will we? Thanx Steve Duffy for making it possible for us to go around and offer the benefit of our experiences. xx
Jimmy Thomas
My name is Jimmy Thomas, I go out with Choose Life to give the Police and young people the benefit of my experiences while a chaotic drug user. I want them to see the real person behind the drug use.
We always have a really good day when we go out and we can change the attitude of one person, then that’s job done as far as i am concerned. Choose Life has increased my self-confidence no end , and I would tell anybody thinking of doing it to give it a go.
Mark Sunderland
My name is Mark and the reason why i go out with Choose Life is because I like to see the reactions on the young people’s faces. I can tell by talking to them and the answers they give me that they understand more about addiction and drugs.
I feel after they have heard the Choose Life volunteers they start to understand why people takedrugs and how you have no choice in the end. I personally have found this a really great experience.
Maria Murphy
My name is Maria, i have lived in Liverpool all my life, and have a history of chaotic drug use and other true life experiences. I volunteer with “Choose Life” as a chance to give something back to society. I have found my self-confidence has grown enormously since going out with “choose life”. If we turn one child away from the choices i took then i am a very happy person.
Going into Schools to share my experience of a ten year drug addiction,i have learnt i could save some young person from making the same mistake as me. When myself or one of the other volunteers speak we know we have the young peoples attention and they listen,i can tell by the questions they ask that they have listened and this gives me a great sense of satisfaction.
Thanking you,
Gemma.
My name is Billy,what I get from Choose Life is the ability to communicate and offer direction to young people that I did not receive.
I have spent over fifteen years in prisons in the UK due to the consequences of my drug addiction and six years in the notorious “Bankok Hilton” in Thailand addicted to Crystal Meth.
Choose Life gives me the opportunity to give a little back to society freely.
Billy’s picture taken while in aThai Jail while using Meth Amphetamine.
If you would like to volunteer with Choose Life, we prefer if you go through a drugs agency. Please go to your local directory or ring ;
Choose Life The Prisoners Initiative
The Independence Initiative
64-68 Balliol Road
Bootle
Merseyside
L20 7EJ.
0151-284-1100.
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