Recovery Coaching Scotland

27/03/2026

🚨 We’re Hiring: Head of Operations 🚨

📍 Scottish Borders (with travel across Scotland)
🕒 28 hours per week
💷 £36,400 pro rata
📅 Fixed term: 2 years (subject to funding)

Help shape the future of recovery in Scotland

Recovery Coaching Scotland is looking for a Head of Operations to join our team at a really important stage of growth.

We’re a lived experience-led organisation supporting people affected by alcohol and drugs to build and sustain recovery across prisons and communities. Everything we do is rooted in relationships, trauma-informed practice, and the belief that recovery is possible for everyone.

As we grow, we need someone who can bring structure and consistency to how we operate—supporting our team, strengthening systems, and helping us build something sustainable for the long term.

This role will focus on:

Strengthening day-to-day operations
Supporting and coordinating staff across different locations
Embedding quality, safeguarding, and communication systems
Improving how we measure and evidence our impact
Helping us move from reactive delivery to planned, sustainable development

You’ll work closely with the CEO and play a key role in shaping the next phase of Recovery Coaching Scotland.

We’re looking for someone who is:

Organised, grounded, and solution-focused
Experienced in operations, service management, or coordination
Comfortable supporting teams and building systems
Able to work across partnerships (NHS, Justice, third sector)
Values-driven and aligned with a lived experience approach

✨ Bonus if you have lived experience of recovery or experience in substance use, mental health, or justice settings.

Why this matters

This role will help us:
✔ Strengthen the quality and consistency of our work
✔ Better support our staff and peer workforce
✔ Evidence the real impact of recovery
✔ Build a stronger, more sustainable organisation

If this sounds like you—or someone you know—get in touch or share this post 👇
Let’s keep building recovery together 💙

hello@recoverycoachingscot.org

20/03/2026

Was invited along to a Borders in Recovery meeting today in Galashiels… and honestly I didn’t really know what to expect.

But wow… I was completely blown away.

From the second I walked in, everyone was so welcoming. The people there are genuinely second to none, just a proper lovely bunch. What really stood out is how comfortable it all feels. The organisers have been through similar situations themselves, so there’s no judgement, no awkwardness, just real people helping each other.

They’re now pushing forward with some amazing next steps, helping those who are slipping through the gaps with no support across the Borders, and focusing on early prevention of addiction in young people.

If you feel like you need support, even just a chat, please reach out to them. I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough. There’s absolutely no stigma, just good people who care.

Because of how impressed I was, I’ve decided to donate £500 to their cause. That’ll cover roughly the next 8 months of free Sunday lunches they put on for families.

Proud to support something like this in our community 🙌

20/03/2026

19/03/2026

Great day delivering Sessions 1 & 2 of the Recovery Training Course in Dumfries today 🙌

We started by setting the scene – creating a safe, supportive space where people could show up as they are. The honesty in the room was powerful. From the first check-in, people were already building self-awareness and connection, which is exactly what this course is all about 

Session 1 focused on:
• Discovering the idea of an inner coach
• Setting personal intentions – “What would good look like?”
• Understanding that change starts with two beliefs:
👉 the future can be better than the past
👉 we have the power to help make that happen 

Session 2 then took things a step further into comfort zones and goal setting.
Some great discussions around why we stay stuck in what’s familiar (even when it’s not helping us), and how growth begins when we gently step into the learning zone.

What stood out today:
• Real openness and willingness to reflect
• People identifying their own comfort zones with honesty
• Some strong, meaningful small goals being set – progress over perfection

The energy in the room was grounded, real, and hopeful. Exactly what you want at the start of a journey like this.

Massive respect to everyone who showed up today – that’s where change begins 👊

18/03/2026

13/03/2026

At 19, Kelly began using he**in, and addiction soon shaped the next 20 years of her life. She spent around ten separate periods in custody, her health declined, and relationships with her family suffered.

Whilst in HMP & YOI Stirling, Kelly saw a Facebook post which had been printed off and displayed on a notice board. The post, shared by the SPS, told the story of Angela, an individual who had been in the same prison and had gone on to successfully complete residential rehab at Calderglen House.

Kelly had previously used the prison-to-rehab pathway but unfortunately relapsed. Inspired by Angela’s story, she found the courage to ask for support a second time through Stirling’s Recovery Officer, Mirrin Lawrence.

Mirrin arranged for staff from Calderglen House to visit Kelly in custody, giving her the chance to ask questions, have her needs assessed, and begin building relationships with the team who might support her after release.

Twelve weeks ago, Kelly left prison and moved directly into the care of Calderglen House. She is now fully engaged in her recovery journey. She feels grounded by the routine, and caring for animals has been especially therapeutic. For the first time in many years, she feels a sense of hope and the possibility of real change.

Mirrin recently met Kelly at Calderglen and was delighted to hear that she has been successful in applying for additional time to further her progress and continue building a stable foundation for her future. She is determined to live a life free from drugs and alcohol and rebuild relationships with her family. She also wants to give back by helping others in recovery, just as others have helped her.

When asked what advice she would give someone in custody who is thinking about rehab, Kelly said: “You only get out what you put in. There will be hard times but don’t give up on yourself. Keep trying - if you want it that much you will get there.”

Mirrin said: “Kelly’s offending was driven by addiction to the point that she no longer recognised the person she had become. She was determined to make a change, and she has fully embraced this opportunity.

“Her progress has been extraordinary. Raising over £300 for Women’s Aid during a month‑long sponsored walk shows just how committed she is to giving back, and she should be incredibly proud of the impact she’s already making in her new community.

“Kelly is proof that with the right support, people can turn their lives around, and I’m delighted to see her living the life she always hoped for.”

02/03/2026

🌿 Recovery Training Course – Dumfries 🌿
A pathway for recovery from Drugs & Alcohol – building your toolkit for a thriving future.

We have a few spaces left on our upcoming Recovery Training Course in Dumfries.

This course is designed and delivered by people with lived experience and offers a structured, action-based approach to building recovery capital, confidence and direction.

Over the programme we explore:

• Setting the Scene
• Comfort Zones & Goal Setting
• Recovery Capital
• Cycle of Change
• Resilience
• Values, Beliefs & Thought Loops
• Trauma & Recovery
• Self-Talk
• Emotional Intelligence
• The Here & Now

This is a trauma-informed, strengths-based space that respects your lived experience and helps you focus on practical steps towards a brighter future.

📅 Dates:
• 19th March
• 25th, 26th & 27th March
• 2nd April

🕙 Time: 10am – 4pm each day

📍 Venue:
The Bridge
Glasgow Road
Dumfries
DG2 9AW

We provide a light lunch, tea & coffee, and can cover reasonable travel costs.

If you or someone you’re supporting would benefit, please get in touch:

📧 training@recoverycoachingscot.org

📞 07536 455898

Spaces are limited and nearly full — get in touch to secure a place.

27/02/2026

A CALL for extra vigilance has been issued by the Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP), following a recent increase in suspected drug-related deaths in Stranraer.

The current drug supply in Scotland is inconsistent and often contains substances people do not expect. This makes any street drug, new or familiar, capable of causing sudden overdose, serious harm, or death.

Drugs circulating locally may contain synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, medetomidine or other dangerous contaminants. These can be active in very small amounts and may lead to rapid deterioration after use. Nitazenes have been implicated in recent drug-related deaths in Dumfries and Galloway, as well as other areas across Scotland.

Chris Allan, Consultant in Public Health, said: “We are seeing an increase in drug-related deaths in Stranraer, and we want people across Dumfries and Galloway to be aware of the risks.

“At the moment, no one can be sure what is in their drugs. That uncertainty is the main danger.”

“Any substance can be contaminated, and even people with long-term experience of drug use can be caught off guard.

“We advise anyone who is using street drugs, or supporting someone else who is, to assume that they are contaminated with other drugs.”

People who use drugs are being urged to be extra vigilant, and are provided the following advice to help reduce risks of harm:

Get naloxone, carry naloxone and know how to use naloxone.
Continue to engage with harm reduction services
Treat all substances with caution, as you can’t be sure of what is in it or its strength
Start low and go slow until you know the substance’s effects
Seek medical help if you or someone else feels unwell
Avoid buying new types of drugs, new batches, or from unfamiliar sources
Avoid mixing drugs (including alcohol and medicines)
Try not to use drugs alone
Watch out for overdose signs like difficulty breathing, blue colouring to lips or fingertips, unresponsiveness and limp limbs.

Dr Allan said: “Ensuring ready access to Naloxone kits, which can help to treat an overdose, could be vital.

“And due to the potency of synthetic opioids like nitazenes, which might be present, you may need to administer multiple doses of Naloxone every 2-3 minutes.”

Naloxone kits are available from the Specialist Drug and Alcohol Service for people already engaged with the service. Kits can also be accessed through With You services in both Dumfries and Stranraer. Kits can also be ordered online through Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs Click and Deliver service: https://www.sfad.org.uk/support-services/take-home-naloxone-application

A pilot project offering drug self-testing strips, testing for contaminants such as nitazene or xylazine, has begun in Dumfries and Galloway and can be accessed through the NHS Specialist Drug and Alcohol Service and With You.

If you are concerned about a drug, you are able to independently and anonymously submit a sample for testing to the WEDINOS project. For more information please visit: www.wedinos.org

Anyone can raise awareness about a dangerous drug circulating in Dumfries and Galloway by reporting incidents to Scotland’s Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response system (RADAR) by visiting the following Internet address: https://redcap.phs.scot.nhs.uk/surveys/?s=78N3H893CFHYCDHA

For more information on drug and alcohol services in Dumfries and Galloway visit: www.dgadp.co.uk

25/02/2026

A massive thank you to everyone at South West Recovery Cafe, Dumfries for having Recovery Coaching Scotland along this evening 🙏

It was brilliant to spend time with such a welcoming, supportive community and to share a bit about our upcoming Recovery Training Course. The conversations, openness and encouragement in the room really reflected what recovery in the South West is all about — connection, hope and people supporting people.

We’re excited to bring this course to the area — creating space to explore goals, recovery capital, resilience, trauma-informed approaches and building a strong toolkit for a thriving future.

Massive thanks to ADP Dumfries and Galloway ❤️💜

Thanks again for the warm welcome and for the incredible work you continue to do in Dumfries. We’re looking forward to working together and seeing some of you on the course soon 💜

24/02/2026

🚨 WE'RE HIRING! 🚨

Are you passionate about making recovery visible? We are looking for a Prison Recovery Development Officer to join our team!

This is an incredible opportunity to work on the ground in Scottish prisons (primarily in the North of Scotland), empowering the peer recovery workforce and creating sustainable, peer-led recovery cultures. You'll play a key role in bridging the gap between prison and the community to support people on their recovery journey.

Know someone who would be perfect for this? Please tag them below or share this post! 🤝

📅 Closing date: 17th March at 12 Noon.
🔗 Get all the details and apply here: https://scottishrecoveryconsortium.org/current-vacancies/

21/02/2026

Three years this week since we were able to employ Cara and Helen as our two Community Officers at Borders in Recovery.

We started with a Recovery Café in Hawick, Duns and Galashiels — just a handful of spaces built on hope, lived experience and belief in people.

Fast forward three years and the growth has been incredible. More groups, more partnerships, more community members finding connection and recovery.

We’re hugely proud of how far we’ve come.

And the best part? We’re only just getting started.