We are more than excited to welcome the announcement on Thursday 12th January 2023 from Angela Constance, Scottish Government Minister for Drugs Policy, of a £3.87 million investment over the next four years to grow the Routes Young Persons programme across Scotland.
Routes is an evidence-based youth work programme which supports young people aged 12-26 years affected by alcohol or drug use within their family. The programme has been developed and tested out in East and West Dunbartonshire over the past three years, in collaboration with young people. Routes offers a mix of one-to-one and group support, along with a busy programme of activities and events bringing young people together. There is no time limit to their involvement, allowing trust to develop with workers and other young people, and all support is individually tailored to each young person. Routes has been a phenomenal success, with incredible feedback from the young people, their parents and partner organisations, including schools and social work.
The Routes model engages young people to effect change in their lives, recognising that living with chaos and trauma in your family does not need to lead to poor outcomes. With the right support, young people can take a very different path, and have a positive future. Indeed the name ‘Routes’ came from the young people themselves, recognising the important of their roots (where they have come from), but that their families’ actions do not need to define the route they take in life.
This significant investment by the Scottish Government will allow Scottish Families to work with third sector partners to establish the Routes programme in five other areas of Scotland, as well as sharing learning from the Routes model across the rest of the country. The funding includes paid work experience for our Routes young people to share their knowledge, skills and experience as part of this national development programme.
Our CEO Justina Murray said:
“When people talk about young people, alcohol and drugs, they quickly jump to concerns about young people using substances themselves. Teenagers and young adults who are harmed by others’ alcohol and drug use within their family remain largely invisible and ignored. This group of young people are generally just expected to just get on with it, with no support or recognition.
We are delighted at this news today that the Scottish Government is investing £3.87 million to grow our Routes programme across Scotland. The Routes practice model is unique, evidence-based and highly effective at engaging young people, maintaining their involvement, and effecting change. Time, flexibility, persistence, trust, fun and friendship are all key ingredients of the approach, along with the whole model being shaped by young people themselves. While they have faced stigma and judgement from others due to their family circumstances, with Routes there is acceptance, understanding and hope for a positive future.”
Young people from East and West Dunbartonshire talking about their experience of Routes:
“Your life in the past doesn’t have to be your life in the future. Over time I realised I can change my life and make my future the best future. Make it the life I’ve always wanted.”
“I honestly don’t think I would be here without Routes. My life feels like I’m constantly trying to cross a motorway with cars coming at me from all directions, but when I’m with you that stops for a while.”
“It will help other kids know that they’re not alone in the situation that they are in, because you can feel really isolated and that makes you more like depressed, your anxiety gets worse, so your mental health gets really affected by it. …People don’t see it because they are just so focused on the parent that is actually taking it, that they kind of forget about the kids sometimes. So I think it’s really good to have a place where all the kids can come together and really understand each other in the situation that they are in.”
“I think of fun, and a place where you can actually feel safe and understand people from the group that are going through similar things. … I feel like in a few years’ time, I could look back and think that these were the best days of my teenage life, being in Routes, and probably the happiest of memories from here.”:
The full ‘If It Wasn’t For Routes’ report is available here.
We also have a podcast available with staff members and young people from Routes here.