In a system where many feel left behind, Foundation2Change (F2C) stands out as a beacon of possibility. Built by people with lived experience of addiction, offending and long-term recovery, this innovative organisation is transforming how rehabilitation works – starting with trust, continuity, and meaningful opportunity.
The founding directors of F2C spent years working in frontline health and social care, managing services that supported individuals repeatedly cycling through prison, addiction, and homelessness. Despite their commitment, they witnessed the same people return time and again trapped in a relentless revolving door. Drawing on their own lived experience of addiction and offending, and having achieved long-term recovery and stable employment, they understood that good intentions weren’t enough. The system needed to be reimagined from the inside out.
Rather than assuming what people needed, the team began by asking prisoners directly: What would it take to create lasting change in your life? The answers were consistent – trust, lived experience support, through-the-gate guidance, and safe, stable housing.
Foundation 2 Change was built on those insights. Grounded in lived experience and person-centred practice, we mapped the prison system from the inside – speaking with more than 100 prisoners to understand the barriers they faced. From these conversations we developed a programme co-produced with individuals who had lived through the very challenges we aim to address. This approach helped us secure a seven-year contract with the NHS, and we are now proudly in our third year of delivery.
The F2C model is a comprehensive rehabilitation journey that begins in custody and extends into community life. The organisation works with individuals during the last three months of their sentence, delivering structured rehabilitation group work focused on trauma-informed care, emotional literacy, and behaviour change. The aim is to help people identify the internal and external triggers that keep them stuck in destructive cycles.
This work has seen tangible success – 86 per cent of participants who engage in custody-based programming and transition to community support do not return to the system. That impact is driven by consistent, relational engagement and a model based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, supporting individuals to first stabilise, then grow.
Many people affected by addiction have lost confidence, self-worth, and basic life skills. Foundation 2 Change understands that recovery takes time and the right support.
That’s why life skills training is a key part of the programme – from cooking and budgeting to financial resilience workshops delivered with HSBC, participants learn how to manage everyday life. They also get help preparing for work, including writing CVs, interview practice, and job searching.
Sustainable recovery is about more than sobriety – it’s about connection. F2C supports participants in building lasting relationships through integration into 12-step fellowships and other community-based recovery interventions. By embedding individuals into a wider network of support, F2C ensures that no one must face the challenges of change alone.
Beyond the prison gates, Foundation 2 Change has worked in close partnership with an established housing provider, which offers one-bedroom flats to individuals who have shown a clear commitment to their recovery – maintaining abstinence, engaging in education or volunteering, and preparing for employment.
This is more than just housing – it’s a platform for long-term independence. Each resident benefits from wraparound support, including recovery coaching, housing guidance, and mentoring from staff with lived experience. The aim is not only to help individuals stay sober, but to empower them to thrive.
F2C isn’t just supporting individuals – it’s changing attitudes towards addiction and offending. By partnering with the NHS, police, probation services, education, and housing providers, F2C is showing that lived experience is a powerful asset, not a liability. The organisation’s success comes from its staff and leadership, who have walked the same path as those they support. They offer hope through both words and actions.
In its third year of the NHS contract, Foundation 2 Change is expanding its reach and deepening its impact. Its work proves that recovery is not always a straight path, but with the right support, change is possible. By combining rehabilitation, safe housing, practical skills, and community support, F2C is breaking cycles and building futures to help people once again become productive members of society.
Jay Arnold and Andrew Shelton are co-founders and directors of Foundation 2 Change