An interesting analysis David, As I remember it , although I was
not involved in any way at that time, the transformation to becoming
a contemporary service provider was your idea, this as you say enabled
Phoenix House to survive. For that to you deserve great credit.
I am not sure what treatment model/s are practiced in today's
Phoenix Houses in GB.
What information I have is that in each house still retains a few of
the better 'bits' of the 'old' model, but has developed in a different
way partly to suit the part of the country it is in, and the 'mix'
of staff its members. If there are any current staff on this list I
would be grateful for an update.
I like the words 'transitional community' for TC's it's very fitting
! There is one point however in which you may are in danger of over
generalisation. My understanding is, what was the original the
'Concept' model, has now been developed and evolved a very, very,
long way since it's original 'conception ' excuse the pun ! and much
has been learnt from the mistakes of the past.
I believe there are some other examples in this country and it has
certainly happened world wide, Phoenix Haga is a very good example.
My own view is that one always has to be very careful with all
developments
as there is a danger at times of 'throwing the baby out with the bath
water'
Warmest wishes
Dave
On 17 Nov 2005, at 17:05, David Tomlinson wrote:
> Dear all
> Putting Culverlands and Cul-de-Sac together was to a large extent a
> play on words and not a comment on its closure, in effect it was ahead
> of its time (at least in this country) in dealing with anti social
> behaviour in clients who presented with problems other than substance
> misuse and worked with them in a TC setting. There was however a
> serious point I was making, in that, at that time the TC (and I prefer
> transitional community) had come to a dead end (geddit); was unloved
> by the drugs field at large, was largely ineffective in delivering
> treatment outcomes (at least in the way they were self presented) and
> not given sufficient gravitas by funders. In this environment its
> survival as a treatment provider was in question, and avoiding the
> cul-de-sac was one of Phoenix House's achievements in the late
> seventies, it did this primarily by becoming client focused,
> encouraging a feminist agenda (and appointing staff able ! to nurture
> it) and later an agenda on race and culture. It networked with other
> agencies, and gained critical mass through opening the new projects,
> which not only put it on a sound financial footing but widened the
> pool of creative talent in the staff teams. It became a registered
> housing association, which brought financial disciplines and a
> regulatory environment. On the basis of turnover it got into the UK's
> top 100 charities, and as such a 'modern' charity. However, regarding
> the transformation from 'classical' TC model to contemporary service
> provider, however, the reforms probably did not go far enough and it
> was left to my successors as Chief Executive to develop the model
> further. Now, you may wonder what has brought on this sudden
> outpouring of angst, well it is the desire to see entrepreneurship,
> governance and quality standards seen as sides of the same coin.
> Memory lane is all very well but rathe! r like people referring to
> 'this movement', by the time it is being said it probably doesn't
> exist anymore.
> David
>
> Anthony Slater <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> David,
>>
>> I thought you were lurking out there somewhere.......the past is also
>> in
>> some regards a foriegn country to me also. However, I think you may be
>> mistaken regarding Cui -De-Sac House, it didn't really close, simply
>> moved
>> location to "What goes around, comes around lane". Its a modified
>> therapeutic community for pensioners.
>>
>> Anthony
>
>
> David Tomlinson
>
> Chair, T3E (UK) Ltd - the race and drugs Initiative
>
> Tel 0044 (0)20 8244 7545
>
> Mobile 0777856853
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