Recovery Near You is an ambitious new concept that aims to tackle an endemic social problem by involving an entire city as part of the proposed solution. The problem is substance misuse and the difficulty lies in tackling it effectively in communities that are struggling to deal with multiple interrelated social issues.
A new programme has been adopted in Wolverhampton which sets out to give businesses and educational establishments a stake in improving their community by helping people who are moving on after recovering from drug and alcohol addictions. In partnership with local and national organisations, it offers placements, work and training, while offering their staff a chance to volunteer at the services. The programme is a partnership of organisations, replacing all existing services and covering the entire city. I commissioned and implemented the digital communications and the digital brand. Following a consultation process with local people, services and organisations, a “responsive” website was created as the focus of digital communications. It presents the service to commissioners, employers and people, particularly referrers, wanting to access the service. This is done by means of a website with a mobile and tablet version.
The content strategy is focused on video and personal experience where possible. The videos vary in length, depending on their relevance to the subject, and consist of case studies and testimonials. YouTube is its main social media platform. There is also a separate young people’s brand, Wolverhampton 360. This section of the website sets out to tackle the issues vital to young people seeking help: confidentiality and easy access to trustworthy information. 