Lifeline in Greater Manchester continues to offer a range of service including Needle Exchange and wrap around services for adults, a Community Detox Support Service, Young People’s Services in Salford and a Parents Service in Oldham Youth Offending Team. In order to do justice to the work that has been carried out I have selected the work of two services to expand on.

OUTLOOK
Outlook performed their own play at Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre. Members of the group had written the play with the help of the theatre and performed it to the delight of the specially invited audience. Family, friends and supporters turned out in force to cheer on the team as they acted out the play about the life of a Manchester man. One theatre lover said ‘the performance was a very emotional experience for the cast and the audience’. Each one of us was related to, care about or had journeyed along with an individual member of the cast. The project involved working over a 12-week period and included a 2-day workshop with playwright Simon Stephens.

BRANCHING OUT
Branching Out is our young persons project in Tameside run in partnership with Turning Point. During this year the project has carried out several successful pieces of work, these are two we are particularly pleased with.

Branching Out received funding from Tameside Council to design and produce an awareness raising campaign for young people around alcohol. Campaign materials were circulated to 140 agencies across Tameside and Glossop for display and distribution. Feedback about the campaign has been very positive, both locally and out of the area. Branching Out are currently consulting with young people around the resources used by the project and have included the campaign materials in this work. Feedbackfrom young people has been very positive and they have responded well to the messages highlighted.

In 2005 Branching Out also received monies from Tameside Council to run a multi agency residential for young people, parents and carers who were engaged with the Youth Offending Team and the Branching Out service. The project worked with a targeted group of families and offered them the opportunity to attend a weekend away with a range of structured activities. During the weekend away they participated in separate sessions covering drug and alcohol awareness, boundaries, communication, interaction and outdoor activities. Evaluations of the project have highlighted the benefits experienced by those who participated. The event model has been adopted by neighbouring authorities to carry out similar schemes with the support of Branching Out.

Marie McGowan