About Barod

The Welsh Government Substance Use Strategy and Recovery Framework steer the development and running of our services, which means that we can support you, no matter where you are in your recovery.

Barod Vision

To be recognised by its key stakeholders as the leading provider of innovative and quality services within the drug and alcohol field.

Barod Purpose

To provide support, information and advocacy to those who are vulnerable and marginalised as the result of their own or someone else’s drug and / or alcohol use, in order to improve their physical, social and emotional well–being.

To improve individuals’, communities’, and society’s understanding and awareness of the relationship between drug / alcohol use, vulnerability and exclusion, in order to overcome barriers which perpetuate the cycle.

Barod Ethos

• We believe that by making small changes, people can see big improvements to their health, relationships and other important areas in their lives. We focus on reducing harm caused by substance use, whether that’s harm to those using them, to their family and friends or within the community.
• We believe that individuals and their experiences are unique and that everyone is entitled to respect and dignity.
• We believe that learning is key to success, and that we can learn as much from our service users as they do from us.
• We believe in quality – whether that’s in the services we provide, the data we collate, the support for our staff or the partnerships we have.
• We believe in empowerment and opportunity; supporting individuals to learn that they have what they need to reach their goals.
• We believe in partnership and co-production – working closely with other organisations, but also with our service users to best meet the current need.

Barod values

• Integrity
  • Being realistic, genuine, trustworthy and fair.
  • Doing what you say you will do, being consistent and reliable and having strong moral and ethical principles.
• Empathy
  • Being ‘in tune’ with the feelings of others.
  • Listening to understand and appreciating other people’s unique experiences and being non judgmental.
• Positive attitude
  • Being open and enthusiastic to change and innovation.
  • Having unconditional positive regard.
  • Focusing on the solution not the problem.
  • A belief that we can learn and do better
• Adaptability
  • To be able to respond and adjust to changing circumstances.
  • To be resilient and flexible to meet the needs of people who use our services.
  • To recognise the need to accommodate different styles and approaches to both working practices and service design.

These are the values shared by all staff and volunteers and that we use to guide us in our work.

SWAPA

Barod began as SWAPA (South Wales Action to Prevent Addiction). Established in 1972 in Cardiff by Rev. Peter Keward to respond to the drug issues of the time, SWAPA was a Volunteer-led information and helpline.

By the mid 1980s, the organisation had it’s first paid Coordinator and, as it began to operate in other areas of South Wales, the name changed to Drugaid in the early 1990’s.

Drugaid

By the mid 2000s, Drugaid had a number of services in Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf, moving away from working in the capital to focus on the valleys and more rural areas.

Drugaid became one of the founding members of DACW, a consortium of charities which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals across Wales.

In 2014 / 2015, Drugaid began working more closely within consortium to deliver services across the whole of Gwent and, also started operating in West Wales, first with young people and then with adults.

In 2015, Drugaid merged with Cwsllt Contact in West Wales, and then with SANDS in Swansea in 2016, enabling us to work in another new area.

In December 2017, Drugaid took the leap and changed it’s name to Barod, following feedback from service users and staff

Barod

Today Barod has services in Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, R.C.T., Blaenau Gwent, Newport, Torfaen, Monmouthshire,  Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

Barod enjoys partnerships with a range of organisations, and is funded from a variety of sources (see the funding tab below to find out more).

Barod today is significantly different from its beginnings. There are now over 180 staff and many volunteers across our services.  We have an improved management system and infrastructure making Barod robust within an increasingly competitive market and with the capacity to provide a range of effective services across a large geographical area.

On the 28th September, we celebrated our 50th birthday at Depot, Cardiff with key note speakers, including Niamh Eastwood (Director at Release) and Dawn Russell (Head of Services, Ana Liffey Drugs Project) as well as fairground games, an art exhibition and workshops, to help us celebrate.

Barod is principally funded by:

• Local Health Boards
• Area Planning Boards
• Unitary Authorities
• Welsh Government
• Police and Crime Commissioner
• Big Lottery
• European Social Fund
• Supporting People

Barod Project (trading as Barod)

Charity number: 265008

Registered Company number:1073381

Registered Office

73/74 Mansel Street

Swansea

SA1 5TR

Head Office

114 Lower Dock Street

Newport

NP20 2AF

Contact number: 01633 439813

email: info@barod.cymru

Partnership is key to providing the best support for service users, and we enjoy some great partnerships across South and West Wales, the UK and abroad.

Here are a few we work with the most often.

• Kaleidoscope
• Platfform
• G4S
• Substance Use Research Group (University of South Wales)
• Regional Health Boards and clinical services
• Transform Drug Policy Foundation
• Release
• Drug Science
• Ana Liffey Drug Project