Substance use - supporting employees with lived and living experience: guiding principles

Annex A

Recognising the value of people with experience

Exploring the importance of lived experience in shaping workplace practices, alongside monitoring and development of the ‘Guiding Principles’.

The value of people with experience

• People with experience bring unique skills and knowledge to the workplace. Their understanding of problematic substance use can bring immense value in terms of practical and motivational support to others with similar histories.
• People with experience can offer insight into the background, circumstances, issues and challenges that others in similar circumstances face, as well as understanding of how these may be addressed.
• Those engaging with drugs and alcohol services often report that the involvement of people with experience provides enhanced safety and facilitates effective connection.
• In Scotland, people with experience have already been instrumental in the evaluation, design, management, and delivery of drug and alcohol services, as well as the review and development of related policy. As more organisations adopt the ‘Guiding Principles’ we anticipate that this will become routine practice.

The Value of People with Experience in the Workforce.

"Employees with lived experience hold you to account. They’ve been through the system, used the services. They ask you ‘why?’ you are doing things in certain ways. They see it from a different perspective and understand where things don’t work.”

Policy Lead, Drugs and Alcohol Charity.

Will adherence to the ‘Guiding Principles’ be monitored?

• We recognise existing pressures on the drugs and alcohol sector. It is not our intention to introduce additional expectations around monitoring or reporting in relation to the ‘Guiding Principles’.
• The guidance set out in this document is not mandatory and does not affect the rights and duties of employees and employers. However, employers are encouraged to follow the ‘Guiding Principles’ so far as possible.
• We know that many will already be adhering to the ‘Guiding Principles’ daily. Our intention is to clarify best practice, ensuring consistency across services.
• It is anticipated that the ‘Guiding Principles’ will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they keep pace with any emerging developments.
• If you wish to discuss any aspect of the ‘Guiding Principles’, then please contact drugsandalcoholworkforce@gov.scot

How were the ‘Guiding Principles’ developed?

Development of the ‘Guiding Principles’ was initiated by a sub-group of Scottish Government’s Workforce Expert Delivery Group (WEDG), which included representatives of the Scottish Drugs Forum, Cyrenians, FAVOR UK and Turning Point Scotland. This sub-group engaged in extensive consultation with people with experience.

Inclusion of an organisation in the early stages of this document’s development does not imply endorsement of its final content. For a list of organisations that have formally endorsed the final version, please refer to the page displaying those who publicly endorse the 'Guiding Principles'.