Everyone in the Barod family is important in making a difference.
We have around 200 staff and volunteers helping to make Barod’s services run smoothly and effectively.
Here are just a few of our paid and voluntary staff from across the organisation.
I am currently employed as a Young Persons’ Caseworker with Barod and I absolutely love it!
I am a qualified Youth Worker with over 11 years’ experience as well as experience within the Social Housing Sector. My experience has included: running youth clubs, mental health support, peer mentoring, youth offending service, careers and education (including pupil referral units (PRU’s), outreach, detachment and substance misuse. Majority of my time I have been working with young people from challenging backgrounds and with complex needs.
My role varies from day to day and each day is never the same. For example: I am a caseworker, which means I have a caseload of young people whom I see on a one-to-one basis. Here I am able to provide tailored support that suits their needs and I will help create a plan with the young person to help them on their journey.
I then may be out within the Community in schools, providing education and advice on substance use and information on ways to keep safe- I will talk about trends in local areas and offer opportunities for people to ask questions. I also attend youth clubs and provide brief sessions and bring along the fascinating drugs boxes!
Also, I provide training to professionals- ‘basic substance misuse’ and ‘talking too and working with young people who take substances’. I love to run this training as I get to meet numerous professionals with lots of experience and knowledge- and I personally, love to learn and love to spread awareness.
Plus, I help out with campaigns on behalf of Barod, attend lots of training and meetings and get to speak with others in the community- it really is a mixed bag every day!
Every aspect of my role brings excitement and I love working with Young People- I also learn from them too and have learned that it’s ok to not know everything as you learn as you go in life!
I am based in our Aberdare office which is central to some parts of the RCT community- however I cover the entirety of Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr- which is a huge patch of our beautiful valley and I love it.
I get to meet people from all walks of life with completely different backgrounds, experiences and challenges. It is a challenge living in a rather remote hard to reach area, particularly higher up in the valley, but I am able to meet the young people locally in a safe and public place; so they are never at a loss of being able to access our service.
We sometimes meet in Mcdonalds (where service users can have a milkshake!) or a café and in schools, community centres and in homes- we do what we can to ensure we give service users the chance to meet and speak with us and get the support they want.
My day consists of having one-to-one appointments with either initial assessments or just continued support. These are tailored to suit the individual young person based on the information they provide.
I may go out in the community and do a school chat on substance use, or meet with other professionals regarding updates and changes in the community- or putting plans in place to help keep children and young people safe.
Sometimes I attend child protection conferences and core groups to help maximise safety of young people in regards to their risks around substance use.
To add, I may spend a day training professionals about working with young people who take substances and how to talk to young people about substances- or just basic substance misuse awareness.
Once a week, the young persons team hold a meeting called a JAM (Joint Allocation Meeting) and this is where we discuss incoming referrals as a team to see who would be best placed to work with the young person. Here we work with Social Workers, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and the Youth Offending Service (YOS) workers and is a great opportunity to network and signpost young people.
We also provide concerned other support to those who are worried about a loved one’s substance misuse.
And, attend events/campaigns in the community as well as conduct outreach to young people in the community.
It has to be: There is no change without a challenge (my own personal saying) as well as: If today is your absolute worst day ever, then tomorrow can only be better! Never never never give up!
I manage the Social Enterprise Café which helps people in recovery to reconnect with their community. We support our volunteers to engage in on-the-job learning in the café. We provide certified qualifications and employability skills in a safe working environment. The café also supports local people who suffer with isolation, food poverty, homelessness and mental illnesses.
There are too many things to mention. I enjoy being part of a cohort of dedicated teams, all with the same mindset. I love helping people in my community to walk a little taller and being a small part of a person’s journey into employment or inclusion.
I am lucky enough to be able to walk to work, so am very passionate about my community and the people who live in it. Being able to influence change in this area is fantastic. The service we provide is quite unique as it is the final piece in the puzzle when it comes to fitting in to societies and becoming part of the workforce. Seeing the confidence build in someone from when the first arrive in the Café is the most rewarding part of this job. Building resilience and breaking down barriers is when you begin to see the volunteers to flourish.
As soon as the Café opens we have a flow of customers wanting a cuppa and a chat. The volunteers will learn how to cook basic meals and cakes, use the coffee machine and tills and provide a high level of customer service. I manage all day to day activities included in running the café, but my job also includes liaising with referrers onto our program, attending third sector meetings and seeking places of employment for our volunteers to move into. I help with CV’s, interview preparation, job searching and general confidence building to prepare them for their next steps when they are ready.
I also arrange the volunteer and staff development and learning. I apply for grants and funding opportunities and see what is happening in the community so that we can be a part of.
No two days are the same here in Café Tyfu, and I think that is what makes this job so interesting.
‘Never judge someone unless you have walked in their shoes’
Always try to find the good in someone and try to help them to see it too.
What are your areas of special interest / particular skills?
I have a passion for harm reduction brief interventions and enjoy developing and delivering training to new and existing staff in these skills. I have a special interest in needle exchange services and in Safer Injecting practices. I started my substance misuse career as a volunteer in a needle exchange in Bath and fell in love with the work from day 1.
As a manager, I am in a privileged position where I can lead on influencing change. Barod is an organisation that doesn’t shy away from difficult or controversial topics and is happy to challenge the status quo if it means that it improves what we can offer for our service users. I love being part of a forward thinking organisation that is constantly innovating. As a feminist, I also enjoy working for an organisation that does not have a gender pay gap and have women as well as men in senior management positions.
My role and service covers the whole of Dyfed which consists of three counties – Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. Many areas of Dyfed are very rural and cover a large geographical spread. This can be a challenge. Despite this, we also have much more urban areas such as Llanelli where the drug trends and the chaos tend to follow similar patterns to that of a city. Working for DDAS therefore means we as individuals and as a collective service need to be adaptable, flexible and really manage our time well.
Is there such a thing?! One of the things I love about my job is that every day is different. I could be anywhere from Ammanford to Aberystwyth, in meetings, delivering presentations, knee deep in data, delivering training, supervising and line managing staff to conducting investigations and working with service users. There is such variety in my job which keeps work exciting and motivating.
I try to remember in my daily work something our CEO advised me on a few years ago and that is that “Assumptions make an ass out of u and me”. I have learnt to never assume anything with service users or staff – it’s important that people can tell their own story without pre-judgements or other people making assumptions about their situation. The other thing I live and work by is to always do the right thing even when nobody is looking which my grandmother taught me as a child.
What are your areas of special interest / particular skills?
My area of special interest is children safeguarding. I am currently a safeguarding lead for GDAS within the North, Blaenau Gwent area.
Variety! There is so much to get involved in when working with Barod. I’ve covered a few roles in the 12 years i’ve been working with Barod. Outreach, probation, alcohol caseworker, GOALS caseworker to name a few. There’s always a new challenge that keeps me fresh and i’m always learning new skills. The staff are all great too.
I work at present as part of a consortium called the Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service in Blaenau Gwent. It’s such a rewarding and fulfilling job to be able to work every day, helping other people. It’s great that Blaenau Gwent has this service in the area.
An average day for me would be travelling between the two Blaenau Gwent bases to see clients. I also work in the needle exchange at both premises giving out paraphernalia to clients. Within the working week I will often attend safeguarding type meetings which I particularly enjoy.
Learn from the clients! The clients have all the experience when it comes to substance. We can learn a great deal from them if we listen.
Caroline is Barod’s CEO and has been with Barod since 1999. She covers the whole of Barod’s ‘patch’ and has her finger firmly on the pulse of what’s going on in the field of Substance Misuse. She is the Chair of the Advisory Panel On Substance Misuse (APOSM) and an active member of Delivering a Caring Wales (DACW).
Here is Caroline to tell you more about her work
I really enjoy all that my role entails, ensuring we deliver excellent services to the people who use our services. It is important to me that all staff are supported trained and competent and that teams are manged well. I am particularly interested in strategic vision, policy development both locally and nationally. We can influence policy to make a difference not just for people using our service but for all citizens.
My role is very varied and interesting. As with any job there are some things that you like more than others. I particularly like seeing staff grow into their role and progress through the organisation. I also really like encouraging new ideas and supporting innovative approaches in our work. Seeing us supporting people who use our service to make positive changes in their lives has made me happy throughout the (nearly) 20 years I have worked for Barod. This after al is what we are all here for.
As I cover the whole of the area we deliver services in, it varies from region to region. However, I have developed and encyclopaedic knowledge of the parts of Wales where we deliver services! Each area and service are unique, but what is constant is the commitment and passion of our staff to do the best that they can for people who use our services.
There isn’t one!! I could be in strategic meetings, meeting commissioners, attending or speaking at conferences, writing reports, answering emails, meeting with our directors, meeting with partners, thinking of new ideas and innovations, the list goes on! However, whether its before or after work, I will always walk my dog!
You have two ears and one mouth – use them proportionately
My areas of special interest are Psychotherapy, specifically CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), as this is what I am currently studying. I am currently undertaking my MSc in CBT Psychotherapy and intend on completing my DPsych in Counselling Psychology. This is an area of special interest for me, as I find it fascinating how CBT can help an individual manage their problems by changing the way they think and behave.
What I enjoy most about my role with Barod is how I can build positive relationships with service users, other organisations by networking and venturing into different areas of Gwent, as I cover Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Caerphilly.
Working in my areas, and for the Cyfle Cymru Gwent team, is amazing. It is very rewarding as we provide a peer mentoring service for those who are out of work and suffer from mental health problems and/or substance misuse. I work with 16-24 year olds who are currently not in education or employment and 25+ (year old) clients who are either long term unemployed or economically inactive. Our end goal when working with these individuals is to help them overcome any barriers that they feel are in the way of them gaining employment or going into further education.
Each day is different but the average day consists of 1:1 appointments with clients, contacting clients, workshops, activities, assessments and networking with different organisations. I also run a gaming session for clients on the PS4 every Wednesday which is cool.
Knowledge is power.
Jamie is the Service Manager for Barod’s Swansea Services and has been with Barod since 2006. His remit covers adult, families and young persons services and he uses his passion for harm reduction to help drive these services forward.
Here’s Jamie, to tell you more about his work
i enjoy providing operational leadership to services within our Barod Swansea services, offering interventions to a wide range of service-users from adults, concerned others and children and young people, and their families. I’ve worked for many years within a community setting, both in the voluntary and statutory sector with experience of working with drug users in many communities, families in crisis, needle exchange, crisis intervention, homelessness, supported accommodation, anti-social behaviour, primary health care, and adults with mental health issues. More recently, my focus has been developing treatment responses to new drugs trends and stimulant drugs.
I enjoy many aspects of my role, but, most significantly for me is the enjoyment I have in building positive relationships with our service users, communities and partners, championing the harm reduction message and cause.
The Swansea service operates at a fast and ever-changing pace, never one day is the same! The team here in Swansea are so adaptable and can use their knowledge, experience and diverse expertise to fight against exclusion, enabling drug using individuals and communities to develop their skills and capacity for potential change and recovery. Delivering the service, respecting the autonomy of the communities we work with, facilitating & supporting them with their drug and alcohol needs. Its great to be working with a team driven by and committed to the development of evidence that endorses or critically advances knowledge of the harm reduction working approach.
Every day is so different! Some days you could be working with policy-makers, programme implementers, service providers and drug users and drug using groups. But, always supporting the adoption of models of community mobilisation, harm reduction and drug treatment with people who use drugs and alcohol. All the above can take place on a local and a national level to promote the work we do here at Barod. I loves it! 😊
“If you want something done, ask someone who’s busy!”
Fiona has been with Barod since 2010, working with service users in Gwent. She has a passion for service user-led treatment and a wealth of knowledge that helps her to best support her service users, including BBVs, domestic abuse and safeguarding.
Here’s Fiona to tell you more about her work
What are your areas of special interest / particular skills?
I mostly work with opiate users. As well as heroin, opiate use includes people with problematic opioid painkiller habits including tramadol and codeine. Opiate users suffer both physical and psychological withdrawals, they can be prescribed substitute opiate medication such as methadone or buprenorphine and treatment can take many months. As an active treatment worker I case manage and provide psycho-social interventions such as motivational interviewing and the community reinforcement approach and I work closely with a clinical team consisting of doctors, nurses and health promotion worker. My areas of special interest are safeguarding and blood borne virus testing. I enjoy supporting service users with complex needs which can include children’s services involvement, homelessness, domestic abuse, undiagnosed mental health concerns, chaotic intravenous drug use and possible blood borne virus infection. This means multi agency working with social services, housing agencies, domestic violence agencies, police and health services. I have previously been employed by Action for Children and Women’s Aid, and have also worked with people with disabilities so I have a lot of experience in supporting families. I sit on the Blaenau Gwent MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference for high risk domestic abuse cases) and am a safeguarding lead for the area. I am also a blood borne virus lead and regularly dry blood spot test service users for viruses such as hepatitis and HIV. I think my strength lies in providing effective one to one work with service users, helping to build positive therapeutic relationships to enable them to move forward in their treatment and onto full recovery.
What do you enjoy most about your role with Barod?
That’s an easy answer for me – direct work with service users! I joined Barod (then Drugaid) in November 2010 on a 6 month maternity cover contract and never left. Initially based in Torfaen, I transferred to Blaenau Gwent in October 2011 and particularly like working in this geographical area, even though the county is classed as having one of the highest rates of deprivation in Wales. I have a caseload of over 40 service users who tend to be very straight talking so I definitely need to keep a sense of humour! I am fortunate to work as part of an incredibly dedicated and professional staff team, both from Barod and the partner agencies who make up GDAS, all of whom have a wealth of skills and understanding of our service users and the issues they face. It is not an easy field of work but Barod have always been keen to support staff, providing a wide range of training and encouraging development throughout the organisation.
What is it like to work in your area of Wales or in your specific service?
GDAS is a large service covering the whole of Gwent. It is divided into North and South teams and provides treatment for drugs, alcohol and family support as well as a recovery strand providing a range of therapeutic groups and diversionary activities. GDAS also has a service to support service users involved in the criminal justice system called IRIS. GDAS is run by a consortium made up of Barod, Kaleidoscope and G4S. It’s a very busy service staffed by a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) telephone number and has been in place since 2015 and prior to this amalgamation many of the staff worked in the previous services offering substance misuse treatment throughout Gwent. There is a lot of substance use and a current waiting list for substitute opiate prescribing. The role can in turn be both rewarding and frustrating but overall I think most of the staff would agree that there is a sense of achievement in knowing that you have worked hard for your service users and tried to help them to move forward in their recovery. Everyone who refers to GDAS wants to make changes and to be happier in their lives and I genuinely believe we offer that opportunity.
Please tell us about your average day.
There is no such thing as an average day, that’s what makes the role so interesting. Our service users often lead such chaotic lives that, although I plan my appointments and therapeutic tools and approaches, if someone has relapsed or is in crisis then the day may turn out very differently than I expected! On average, I try to see 5-6 service users per day which should allow time for recording and paperwork. Appointments include assessing service users, care planning, providing prenoxad training (which can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose), discussing reduction plans and relapse prevention. There’s lots of paperwork which includes case notes, appointment letters, report writing and letters of support so I carry my laptop with me always. I am based in Tredegar but also see service users in our Ebbw Vale and Rhymney buildings. I attend doctor’s clinics and MARAC fortnightly, I attend social services or other external meetings most weeks and also travel to other offices throughout South Wales to training and team meetings.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
When I first started to work in substance misuse my manager told me “If you’re not sure of something a service user tells you then ask them to explain, people never mind”. And it’s very true, people often like talking about themselves and, unfortunately for my service users, drugs are their area of expertise. I feel I’ve learned far more from my service users about what it’s like to have a drug problem, to be homeless, to have your children removed or even to have contracted a virus such as hepatitis than could ever be obtained from training or books alone. Everyone’s story is different as every person is different and it’s positive that people trust me and allow me to be part of their recovery.
Transition cases and mental health of young people
Engaging with young people and seeing them develop and move forward in their recovery.
It can be remote and challenging it is usually busy but it is rewarding and you are never far from lovely views/beaches.
At the moment things are obviously strange as I am working from home, I will generally have a few appointments/meetings/webchat/a catch up with the team and will make sure that I get away from the laptop for a short while and go up to the garden.
The less you talk the more you hear. So when I am with service users I just let them talk as much as they need to, you gain a lot more insight in to their lives and issues that way.
James works in our Aberystwyth and Cardigan offices and has been with Barod since 2016. James has a passion for providing service user-led services and is a Welsh speaker and advocate for Welsh language and culture.
Here is James to tell you more about his work
What are your areas of special interest?
Drop in, Foodbank, Shiny Data, ‘Yr Iaith ar Waith’, Single Point of Contact Telephone and Emails
What do you enjoy most about your role with Barod?
Seeing people come in through the doors glowing with wellness
What is it like to work in your area of Wales or in your specific service?
Aberystwyth and Cardigan are close knit communities in a truly beautiful part of the world. However, I find the misery around substance misuse is in sharp relief to the lovely surroundings. Our service users have to make very long journeys to access our services, and the commitment this requires to make change is often considerable.
Please tell us about your average day.
During my typical workday, I’ll open up reception, the drop in and the needle exchange and check the toilets have toilet paper. Then it’s open the door and greet our service users as they arrive for appointments or to access the drop in or other services. I am responsible for answering the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service SPOC telephone – typically I’ll be advising service users to come to Open Access or taking referrals in between asking staff to look in the cupboard by the loo for more toilet rolls. Around the SPOC calls I’ll be on Palbase processing referrals and initial assessments for the Generic Service and for Criminal Justice, suggesting that staff check in the cupboard under the stairs for toilet paper and going through the Keyworker Report, improving the data quality. After lunch, I’ll be minuting the weekly Partnership Meeting with CDAT and Social Service, then it’s back to unlocking the Admin cupboard to issue the emergency four pack of Andrex, and process the waiting list for our Floating Support Supporting People Service), unique to Ceredigion within Barod. After a cup of tea, it’s time to fire up our purchasing system, Turbine, to request authorisation to buy 144 rolls of toilet paper for tomorrow, complete a petty cash return and after a final phone call from my boss in our Cardigan office, informing me that they have run out of tissues in the meeting rooms it’s time to close up, happy in the knowledge that the service has run smoothly.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Unasked for advice, James, is often seen as interference…
