New Beginnings pilots ‘Inspirado’ board game

Clients, staff and peer support workers of a Doncaster-based specialist rehabilitation and detox unit have been piloting an innovative board game that helps reduce setbacks in addiction recovery and builds on strengths.

New Beginnings in Balby, which is run by Aspire Drug and Alcohol Service, is piloting ‘Inspirado’ a relapse prevention game designed to change addiction behaviours for people who are in recovery from substance misuse.

Created by Joojo Kyei-Sarpong from the University of Sunderland, who has dedicated his career to supporting those living with addiction, the game can be played with two people or as part of a larger group therapy treatment session of up to 10 people. Players start out as Caterpillars and navigate their way around the board picking up positive behaviours to help them to overcome the everyday challenges that can hold back their recovery. The game finishes with each player collecting new skills and emerging into butterflies.

Neil Firbank, Senior Day Programme Practitioner at New Beginnings, said: “We are always on the lookout for different ways to give our clients and service users the best possible opportunities for a successful recovery.

“People in the healing process from addiction face many hurdles and pitfalls which can cause them to relapse.  We are road testing this new game to see if it is something that we can introduce across Aspire as part of our range of resources for substance misuse treatment.”

As well as being a unique intervention tool for supporting people in their recovery journey from addiction, ‘Inspirado’ can be used to benefit people experiencing the loss of a friend or family member through drug overdose.

If you or someone you know is experiencing drug or alcohol issues and want to talk to someone in confidence please visit Aspire’s live chat at: www.aspire.community, or ring 01302 73095

 

PHOTO:  New Beginnings’ staff and peer support workers are pictured with the creator of ‘Inspirado’ Joojo Kyei-Sarpong, (second left) and Neil Firbank, Senior Day Programme (fourth left).