Introducing: The New Collective Voice Affected Others Group!

Adfam and Collective Voice are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new group, bringing together organisations supporting families affected by substance use and individuals with lived experience, to work together to improve support for affected others.

Substance use has a devastating impact on families and affected others. Organisations supporting these groups play a critical role in improving their wellbeing, connecting them with others who share similar experiences, and equipping them with the tools to make sense of their situation and support their loved ones.

Despite this, there remains a lack of recognition among policy makers and the public around the negative effects of substance use on families – and provision of family support services continues to be inconsistent across the country. Collective action is vital to raise awareness, influence policy and ensure families receive the support they need and deserve.

Adfam’s Alliance of Family Support Organisations was set up in 2022 to bring together grassroots organisations across England supporting families and address this need. Now the group is entering an exciting new chapter in partnership with Collective Voice.

The new Collective Voice Affected Others Group will be a space for professionals, volunteers, and experts by experience to connect, share, and influence change – with the ambition of improving and increasing support for children, families, and communities dealing with the effects of drug and alcohol use.

Who’s it for?

The group is open to anyone in a professional or voluntary role supporting “affected others” – families, friends, and children impacted by someone else’s substance use. It’s also open to family members who want to share their lived experience to help shape better services and policies. If this speaks to you, we’d love you to join us.

Why the group exists

We know how important it is for the voices of affected others to not just be heard, but listened to, understood, and acted upon.

Here’s what we aim to do together:

• Shine a light on the experiences and needs of families and others affected by substance use.
• Share ideas and best practice between organisations and individuals – and make sure this learning gets shared far and wide.
• Create a clear channel for Collective Voice, Adfam, and other member organisations to hear directly from families and frontline workers.
• Influence decision-makers locally and nationally to improve services and support.
• Support campaigns and national advocacy efforts that put families first.
• Contribute to reports, research and surveys to better understand what support is needed.
• Grow the family support sector by building knowledge, developing skills, and identifying gaps in support – both locally and nationally.

We’re committed to ensuring this group is inclusive and representative, so we are actively encouraging involvement from under-represented communities, including BAME communities, LGBTQ+ families, grandparents and kinship carers, and others.

Get involved!

The group will meet quarterly, via Zoom and will be chaired by Adfam.

Whether you’re working or volunteering in the field, or have lived experience to share, we’d love to have you involved. This new group is about coming together to work towards tangible change for families and affected others – through connection, collaboration, and shared action.

Join the Collective Voice Affected Others Group and help us build a stronger voice for families and affected others.

Get in touch with us to register your interest: [email protected]