Date Added: 02/11/2020
This November, EDAS is celebrating 50 years of service to those in need of substance misuse treatment across Dorset. In 1970, EDAS opened its doors with a great passion about helping others to find ways to help themselves towards making positive life choices free of dependency, with dignity and respect.
Today, our programmes and services provide care and support for all populations of the community including parents and families, young people, carers, senior citizens, through-care and aftercare clients, clients with medication issues, and criminal justice clients transitioning back into society. On a daily basis, we offer one to one support, group work, education and family support to our service users and work towards positive outcomes for the individual, their families and the wider community. All which is delivered with empathy, professionalism, and credibility. We also offer educational and vocational support, health and wellness programs, and arts and recreation opportunities.
More recently, we have also been delivering educational packages to our service users and, to date, over 500 service users have achieved nationally recognised qualifications whilst undertaking therapeutic support at EDAS. This has enabled our service users to seek voluntary work and employment or enabled them to enrol on further advanced courses of study at College and University.
In 2017, advocating in fighting the stigma of addiction, our Serenitea Café initiative was born, to provide a nurturing and welcoming space where clients can drink a tea or coffee, eat, relax, socialise, and receive discreet counselling and support if they need it.
In 50 years, EDAS has grown to be a multi-service organisation with recognised evidence-based, comprehensive services, working closely with partner agencies such as Health, Education, Mental Health, GP’s, Housing and Employment to develop packages of care that meet the needs of our service users, whilst campaigning for leadership in securing on-going support for the recovery field.
Thank you to each of our staff members, partners, community members and clients for 50 inspiring years. We look forward to the changes we will make together in the next 50.
And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up to date on our news and campaigns. We hope you will join us in celebrating this significant milestone. Use #50yearsEDAS and share your story with us. Or email your testimonial story to us on edas64@edasuk.org. We'd love to hear how EDAS has helped you.
