WithYou in Lancashire

Following a competitive tender process led by Lancashire Council, drug and alcohol recovery charity WithYou will continue to deliver services to young people and their families living across the county.

In Lancashire, WithYou have provided free, confidential advice and support to young people experiencing challenges with drugs and alcohol for the last 17 years. This includes meeting young people where they feel most comfortable, such as at their school, college, or youth club to provide educational and treatment-based sessions. They also support professionals by providing training, and work with parents and families who’ve been affected by a young person’s drugs or alcohol use.

Explaining how WithYou in Lancashire supported her family, Sarah* says:

“We started having concerns about our son when he was around 18 years of age. It felt like we were losing him. A part of me wondered if it was just a phase, but there were signs that made us suspect drugs - we smelt things, there were extreme changes in his behaviour, he kept asking us for money. “I found WithYou and picked up the phone. I can’t put into words how huge this moment was - there is so much stigma around addiction and I was scared that we’d be blamed as parents for my son’s challenges. “But I was wrong. We weren’t blamed. Instead, we were put in touch with a recovery worker who understood and educated us about addiction. Our son is now back at university, competes in triathlons, and with further support of Narcotics Anonymous, he’s remained abstinent from drugs and alcohol.”

The parents support group, which is open to any parent or guardian caring for a child experiencing challenges with drugs or alcohol, meets every Wednesday afternoon in Lancashire.
For their young people services, anyone can refer someone under the age of 25, as long as they have consent from the young person. From there, a Young People Worker will be allocated and an assessment will begin, which usually ends in a person centred care plan being developed in partnership with the young person.

Jen Rushworth-Claeys, Director of Young People Service Delivery at WithYou, said:

“We are incredibly proud of the difference that our teams and volunteers make to the lives of local people, and we’re delighted that we can both continue and strengthen this into the future. “We know that everyone’s recovery journey is different, so we provide a full range of services to meet the varied needs of the young people we support so we can ensure that there’s something here to support everyone to achieve their goals.”

Michael Green, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Lancashire County Council said:

"For the past 17 years, WithYou has been a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of compassionate care, education, and dedicated support. Their commitment to meeting our young people in their own spaces—be it schools, colleges, or youth clubs—exemplifies a tailored approach that truly resonates with the needs of our community. This helps young people to become less reliant on alcohol & drugs and to lead more fulfilling lives, which is a positive outcome for themselves, their families and for communities across Lancashire."

Lee Harrington, Public Health Specialist – Substance Use at Lancashire County Council said:

“Lancashire County Council is pleased that WithYou will continue to deliver drug and alcohol treatment services to young people and their families. Supporting
young people to live the happiest and best quality lives is incredibly important to us, and the expertise of WithYou will help us to achieve this.”

If you’re experiencing challenges with drugs or alcohol, visit WithYou in Lancashire’s website: www.wearewithyou.org.uk

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Notes to editors
- A spokesperson from WithYou will be available for interview (upon request)

For more information and spokespeople requests, please contact the WithYou press office at pressoffice@wearewithyou.org.uk or by calling 07974067786.

About WithYou

WithYou is a leading drug, alcohol and mental health charity operating across England and Scotland. Each year we work with more than 100,000 people in over 120 locations, providing a free and confidential service without judgement to adults and young people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health.
www.wearewithyou.org.uk