Liz's story – prison helped me, but then what?
Liz Wallace is in her early 40’s, a mother with 6 children, by three partners. From the age of 13 Liz had spent the majority of her life
addicted to a cocktail of drugs including Heroin, Crack Cocaine and Methadone. By her early twenties she was an alcoholic. Now, with the
help of a local housing association, Adullam Homes, she has turned her life around, has won Home Office awards, and works to help those who
suffer as she did.
Liz’s mom, herself an alcoholic, was unable to support Liz. Even when her mother was gravely ill with Cancer, Liz’s four siblings wanted Liz
to have nothing to do with her mother, fearing that she would steal her drugs.
Moving from one dependant relationship to another Liz had six children by three partners. Eventually, and with several of her children
suffering from emotional problems, the drugs got the better of her and Liz finally walked out of the family home in 1999.
For around two years Liz was homeless and sleeping rough, in sheds or on crack house floors. Then, in 2003, Liz was given a 15 month prison
sentence for conspiracy to supply drugs. She served eight months of her sentence in Styal Prison in Stockport before being released.
During this time, a prison regime of forced abstinence actually helped and Liz felt better for the first time in years. Back out on the street
however, Liz had nowhere to go and quickly fell back to her old ways before returning to prison for a further two spells in Styal.
As Liz Explains: “After 20 years of drug and alcohol problems, I finally ended up in prison at the age of 40, losing my children and my home
with no direction and no help.
Having returned to the community several times, each time with nowhere to live, I found my drug use became problematic once again. However on
my last release from prison, in 2004, I finally got help when my CARAT support worker put me in touch with staff at Adullam Supported Housing,
who provided me with temporary accommodation and a support worker.
With the help of my Support Worker and her persistence in pointing me in the right direction I was able to access ADAS (Alcohol and Drugs
Advisory Service) abstinence service. I attended the RAMP, (Reduction and Motivation Programme), for two and a half days a week and then
went on to complete the 12 week full treatment programme.
I found the full programme very hard, it needed strength, determination and a lot of self examination, without the help of my support worker,
ADAS, the accommodation, and the support, I would simply not be where I am today.
After finishing the Programme at ADAS I wanted to help others and so became a volunteer and mentor for the ADAS service, gaining qualifications
in English, Counselling Concepts and Skills and I continued to attend aftercare at ADAS and N. A., (Narcotics Anonymous).
After completing a National Vocational Qualification Level 2 in Substance Misuse I am now involved in Voluntary work in the Greater Manchester
area and have made an application for the NVQ Level 3 course.
I have been clean of substances since the 13th of February 2005, so Valentine’s Day has a very particular significance for me.
I am very grateful to all the services and people who have helped me over the years, especially Adullam Homes and in particular my support
worker, Pat. She persevered and eventually moved me on to permanent accommodation. I am very happy with my life, I have contact with my
children again, and I now look forward to a brighter future and full-time employment.”
According to Pat Steeles, the Adullam Homes Project Worker: “Liz has been truly inspirational. She is a very determined person, and clearly
wanted to help herself. She has never blamed anyone else for her situation, she takes responsibility. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has
been rewarding, for both of us”.
In November 2008, Liz was awarded the Home Office’s “National Changing Life Through Tackling Drugs Award”. Liz is now involved as a volunteer
in a number of services including ADS, ADAS, Styal and other prisons doing presentations and leading workshops, sharing her experience with
prisoners and people who also have substance misuse problems.
