Recovery has shaped every part of Ste’s life.
Today, he manages Acorn’s Community Team in Manchester, but there was a time when he never thought that kind of future was possible.
Much of Ste’s early adult life, from the age of 18 to 38, was spent in and out of jail. After being expelled from school, he had no formal education and believed his past would always count against him.
Things began to change when he entered residential rehab in 2009. There, he met an Acorn employee he knew from prison. Seeing somebody with a similar background working and helping others showed him that a different future was possible.
For Ste, recovery became about reconnecting with people, finding purpose and building a future.
In his own words, he describes it as: “A personal journey of healing, growth, and reclaiming a meaningful life that is defined entirely by more than just stopping: It goes beyond quitting a substance, it is about building a life I could enjoy.”
It also meant rebuilding relationships and learning to be kinder to himself.
“Connection; healing relationships with loved ones, and finding a sense of purpose. Self-kindness; learning self-forgiveness and accepting that progress includes hard days,” he added.
After completing rehab in 2010, Ste chose to build a new life. He volunteered with Acorn, studied for a Health and Social Care Diploma, qualified as a counsellor and eventually progressed into leadership.
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