The West Berkshire Drug Diversion Scheme has been nominated for a Howard League for Penal Reform award in the liaison and diversion category.
Our Swanswell West Berkshire service worked in partnership with Thames Valley Police and other agencies to develop the Drug Diversion Scheme, which is now delivered throughout West Berkshire. The scheme provides a tailored diversion route for people caught in possession of drugs for personal use and offers specialist support to individuals who may never have accessed treatment to address their use of drugs.
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to live healthy, safe and happy lives and this scheme enables us to help people to reduce harm and make positive choices around their wellbeing.
Sian Orton, Service Manager at Swanswell West Berkshire, said: “We are really pleased to work with colleagues as part of the Drug Diversion approach in West Berkshire. This partnership successfully works together to make a difference and offers interventions, harm reduction advice and an opportunity to address addictive behaviour, that previously would not have happened.”
About the awards
The Howard League for Penal Reform annual awards recognise the country’s most successful community projects encouraging desistance from crime. Projects which help to keep people out of the criminal justice system by providing alternative, proportionate, effective and targeted interventions will help reduce the risk of re-offending.