The red carpet was rolled out at the Vue Cinema in Preston for a truly unforgettable evening: the graduation of learners from our pilot Level 2 Recovery Worker Qualification. This glamorous celebration marked the culmination of months of study, personal growth and achievement.
A pilot scheme with vision
“We started out on this journey because we did a volunteer survey and we found out 71% of our volunteers wanted to work in this sector,” explains Chris Benfield, our Head of Volunteering and Placements. “Volunteers give us an enormous amount so it's only fair that we give them something back. The qualification was imagined as part of that offer: you give us all that skill, all that talent, all that time, you help us expand our reach and bring more people into treatment – and what we give back to you is this qualification that helps you grow and develop.”
Together, the team brought to life a six-month programme that combines professional standards with compassion, aligning with Dame Carol Black’s independent report on drugs and the Government’s 10-Year Drug Strategy by embedding harm reduction, person-centred care and employment readiness into every module.
At the ceremony, on 3 September, the graduates received their certificates in front of their proud families and friends, as well as volunteers and Change Grow Live staff from our Warrington, Wirral Ways, Inspire Lancashire, Sefton, Tameside and Knowsley services.
Reaching for the stars
The event played on the cinematic theme of the venue — using Star Wars analogies throughout to describe the strength, determination and resilience of our graduates. Like the heroes of the saga, they have demonstrated courage, teamwork, and belief in a brighter future.
The atmosphere was emotional and heartfelt — with powerful moments including one graduate, Paul Ludditt, who spoke about how recovery had brought his children back into his life. With his daughter at the event, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
The bond between learners shone throughout the evening. They have supported one another every step of the way, forming friendships, and even a love story along their journey. As Mohammed Amad observed, “There are some things that can be measured: you can tell when somebody's been successful at something, passing a course, getting a job. But there's other things that you can't measure. And that's the experience that they've shared, the relationships that they've built up. It's just invaluable.”
A highlight of the graduation ceremony was the premiere of a documentary film created by Inspired Youth, capturing the learners’ experiences throughout the programme and a powerful reminder of how far they have come.
Hands-on training for the real world
During the course, learners gained knowledge across core modules, including mental and physical health; harm reduction and medical interventions; person-centred care; and psychosocial interventions.
The training was hands-on and practical, with highlights such as:
- A mystery shop exercise, where learners experienced a service from a service user’s perspective to enhance their practice as recovery workers
- An employment readiness module that supported learners to complete application forms for suitable roles and build a portfolio of evidence that they can take to interviews.
- Shadowing recovery workers to enable the learners to experience many aspects of the role, including assessments, referrals and providing healthcare interventions.
- Specialist harm reduction training led by our National Harm Reduction Lead, which gave learners the tools to support safer practices.
To prepare them for the workplace, learners also took part in a mock interview with subject experts and service managers — building confidence and experience for their future careers.
The training also supports the future of Change Grow Live, as Chris explains. “We need to be making sure that the next generation of paid workers coming into this sector are well-trained, well-skilled and well-equipped so that we can go on to benefit the lives of our service users. And who’s in a stronger position to do that than somebody who’s already familiar with our organisation and with the challenges that our service users might be facing?”
Indeed, the early outcomes of this pilot are promising. Four learners have secured paid employment with Change Grow Live to date, one has begun working in the health sector, and others are volunteering, with new opportunities on the horizon.
Every graduate spoke of the programme as transformative, crediting the mix of learning, peer support and practical experience with giving them confidence and hope.
As graduate Jenny Bibby acknowledged, “Not only has this course given me the opportunity to learn a huge range of skills and knowledge to aid my path to becoming a Recovery Worker; it’s helped me feel more confident and competent. As a volunteer with lived experience, it’s helped me overcome a lot of my anxiety and agoraphobia, enhanced my recovery and made me believe in myself even more.”
“I have been given the opportunity to succeed,” says fellow graduate Paul. “I am going to continue volunteering with Change Grow Live while I complete my degree in counselling. With the goal in two years to bring everything I have learned and studied together to become a paid employee and the best version of me, so that our service users get the support they deserve.”
Looking ahead
Change Grow Live is proud to have the largest volunteer network in the sector, with nearly 1,400 active volunteers. This qualification represents a significant step forward in supporting volunteers’ career aspirations while strengthening the quality of support available to the communities we serve.
As these graduates take their first steps in their careers, a new group of learners has begun the digital version of the programme. We are excited to follow their journey and continue building on the success of this groundbreaking pilot.
Congratulations to our graduates — your resilience, growth, and achievements deserve every bit of the spotlight.
May the force be with you!
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The Level 2 Recovery Worker Qualification was the vision of Paul Haley (Service User Involvement Lead) and Chris Benfield (Head of Volunteering and Placements). It was developed by Matt Taylor (Accredited and Regulated Learning Lead) and Mohammed Amad (Regulated Learning Project lead), with support from subject matter experts, frontline staff and volunteers. The training was delivered by Mohammed with classroom support from volunteer Helen Broadley.