Having been around for what seems to be for ever sometimes, Stewart !
I remember that time well.
Once again I was no longer in the TC business myself , but was still
in touch with a number of ex-Alpha people. When you look at the
history, in nearly all the TC's there has been much stress, pain,
and also emotional damage to both staff, ex-staff, residents and
ex-residents over the years. On the other hand there have also been
many, many, good bits to balance that out. I have some wonderful
memories. But I can understand a reluctance to write about it.
Personally, I am really grateful to Rowdy and Craig, who both in their
different ways have helped/inspired me to write about my own
experiences. It is a hard fact, that unless things can be discussed
and written about in an open way, history will go on repeating itself,
and that knowledge will be lost for ever, but it can take time, and one
has to be ready to do it.
Craig made the point to me that a lot of us won't be around to write
or talk about it in the not too distant future, ( he is a passionate
archivist, but also a tough one when needed !) I know this increased my
sense of responsibility to write. I have never been good at it. There
does however have to be a great sensitivity to the all feelings that
are involved.
Warmest wishes
Dave
On 18 Nov 2005, at 09:08, Stewart Dickson wrote:
> Hi. I published a paper in the mid 1980s titled Concept Based
> Therapeutic
> Community to A Social Change Community it caused a great deal of
> stress and
> pain for some who were involved in Alpha at the time and nearly lead
> to its
> closure. The use of transition community might not be far away from
> what I
> was proposing at the time. I did enjoy those years with the emphasis on
> growth and positive change. I'm just a bureaucrat know who looks
> forward to
> retirement from a world where change is for different reasons and
> strange
> agendas.
>
> Secondary I live one hour North of Aberdeen and I regret the Camphill
> situation however their is another side to the story that those of you
> who
> live in or close to the metropolis and essay transport links maybe
> don't
> full appreciate/
>
>
>
> Stewart Dickson
> Team Manager
> Criminal Justice Addictions Team
>
>
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