Imagine, for a moment, that you have drifted to the very edge, existing but not truly alive. Maybe it was a gradual drift, or perhaps it happened suddenly; either way, the life you once knew feels distant, almost unreachable. For many people who find their way to Charter Recovery Housing, this is their reality. Homeless, disconnected, and lost in the spiral of addiction, they face a profound challenge: not just surviving but starting over, learning to live again. And this is where Charter’s first phase from its model for success ‘Live’ steps in, to reignite a spark that has been dimmed for a long time.
Life After Darkness: The Meaning of ‘Live’
The ‘Live’ phase in the Charter Recovery Housing model is about more than overcoming addiction—it’s about awakening to a life that’s full of potential and purpose. For someone who’s struggled with problematic substance use, simply getting through the day can feel monumental. The physical symptoms of withdrawal alone are challenging, but maintaining freedom from addiction’s grip is an even steeper climb. Charter supports this rebirth by creating an environment where people don’t just feel supported—they feel a sense of possibility.
To start living again, Charter Recovery Housing helps individuals focus on three core areas: improving health and wellbeing, gaining self-confidence, and mastering essential life skills. For those who come from lives of chaos and instability, these pillars provide a foundation that feels solid and achievable. When someone begins to rebuild their physical, emotional, and psychological health, they’re not just addressing symptoms; they’re claiming their lives back.
Healing in Body, Mind and Spirit
Drug and alcohol addiction can cause destruction to the body and mind, leaving individuals in physical, emotional, and psychological pain. The journey of living again begins by addressing these critical areas. At Charter Recovery Housing, individuals have access to a structured programme that focuses on restoring well-being in a holistic way. Exercise, nutrition, and mindfulness practices become daily tools for feeling stronger, healthier, and more in control. Participants learn the power of self-care, finding that, day by day, they feel a little more alive and present in their own skin.
However, feeling alive isn’t just a matter of physical wellness; it’s also a deeply psychological journey. Many who come to Charter struggle with a profound sense of shame, guilt, or hopelessness—feelings that can keep them trapped in cycles of dependency, homelessness and crime. Through a combination of tailored 1:1 and community support, Charter offers a space for healing these invisible wounds, fostering a sense of self-worth that builds the foundation for a new identity and a fresh start.
Building Confidence and Rediscovering Dreams
Imagine the small yet significant milestones that contribute to someone’s recovery. For someone who has endured homelessness and addiction, these might include basic daily routines like cooking, managing finances, and maintaining personal hygiene. Through these practical achievements, people begin to rebuild not only their lives but also their self-image. They gain confidence and a sense of pride in their capabilities.
At Charter, individuals are encouraged to explore their life goals—some of which may have been abandoned long ago. With guidance and support, they are invited to rediscover these ambitions, to imagine a future that excites them and feels possible. This is the essence of the “Live” phase: helping people reclaim a sense of purpose, direction, and joy that perhaps they had not felt in years.
Learning to Live: Skills for Independence
Living is also about taking control of one’s future. Charter Recovery Housing provides a space where people can learn critical life skills that are essential to maintaining independence. Many residents learn basic yet transformative skills, such as financial management, cooking, and personal hygiene. While these skills may sound simple, they provide the tools for sustainable independence, especially for those who have never had the opportunity to manage a household or maintain a healthy lifestyle. As residents develop these skills, they start to envision lives in which they aren’t just existing from one crisis to another—they’re thriving.
Through practice and empowerment, individuals at Charter aren’t just ‘learning the ropes’ of life; they’re becoming resilient, confident, and equipped to stand on their own. Every cooking lesson or budgeting session isn’t just a practical exercise; it’s a step toward freedom.
A New Beginning with Charter
At the heart of Charter’s ‘Live’ phase is a vision of new beginnings. The people who come to Charter have already endured so much; they are survivors in every sense of the word. But they aren’t just surviving anymore—they’re thriving. For commissioners and referrers, this is where Charter Recovery Housing stands out. It’s not simply a place for recovery; it’s a place for transformation, where people learn to thrive, find joy, and reengage with their lives.
Our residents start to transition from a life of chaos and confusion to stability and structure through gradual behavioural and psychological change.
We have a structured day in our supported living accommodation houses, at 10am everyone gathers to connect with one another. Three times a week a recovery coach runs a group to help build personal, community and social capital and support residents to develop a toolkit they can use to overcome active addiction and rebuild their life. Therapeutic group work includes our bespoke behavioural change programme, inspired by a CBT approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), where we can support people to consider their values and goals in life and make steps towards achieving these. We also run relapse prevention, health and wellbeing and community building sessions.
The menu of group work sessions is specifically designed to enable people to live a happy and healthy life and is tailored to their individual needs.
To improve physical health and we have partners such as BBV nurses that visit and advise residents with Hep C testing and treatment, harm minimisation techniques to keep themselves safe in many different scenarios and advice for sexual health and STIs.
Our unique recovery academy model combines safe housing with substance use aftercare, physical and mental health support, mutual aid, training, employment and volunteering opportunities. Our model is divided into 3 parts but in reality these often intertwine with one another in different combinations depending on the individual’s recovery journey. Our next blog article will focus on the second part of our model – Connect.
We encourage people to build on their strengths and forge a future that learns from the past but leaves it behind. We want to help people create their own sustainable and long-lasting behaviour change patterns that can be passed down through future generations and put an end to homelessness.
In providing these individuals with the support they need to reclaim their place in society, not just a place to stay. You’re giving them a chance to make better informed decisions—to start again with a future full of potential. Through Charter’s approach, lives are not only rebuilt; they’re reignited, showing that, no matter how dark the path has been, there is always the possibility of recovering a fulfilled life in the future.
If you are interested in how we work and would like to make a referral, or need more information, please contact us directly for an initial conversation.
