Initiatives that Support Recovery 

Start360 Justice Services – SMART Recovery is a peer support programme helping people manage addictive behaviours through self-empowerment, motivation, and practical coping tools. First delivered by Start360 in Northern Ireland in 2018, it is an internationally recognised peer support programme and operates across prison and community settings both in-person and online. A newer strand, SMART Family & Friends in Ballymena, extends support to loved ones of those struggling with addiction, focusing on self-care, boundaries, and communication. Together, both programmes build resilience, reduce isolation, and empower positive change for individuals and families alike. 

The Aiseiri Progression Programme is a Waterford-based Drug Rehabilitation Community Employment Scheme supporting people in addiction recovery back into work and education. Combining a year-long education programme for residents of Aiseiri Céim Eile with tailored group and individual support for those living independently, it blends career development, recovery activities, and wellbeing support. Shaped entirely by learner feedback through regular reviews and focus groups, the initiative serves people facing significant barriers — from homelessness to long-term unemployment.   

“A Day in the Life” is a 50-minute educational documentary produced within the HSE’s Soilse Recovery Programme in Dublin’s north inner city, exploring the lived realities of addiction recovery. Through drama, creative writing, and personal interviews, participants share powerful stories alongside professional insights on themes like mental health, homelessness, and family impact. Born from a 2024 immersive theatre production, the film balances the harsh truths of addiction with the hope of recovery. Now used in schools, including Transition Year classes, it serves as a resource to build empathy, reduce stigma, and spark meaningful dialogue about addiction. 

The Social Therapeutic Horticulture Programme offers a social prescribing model of therapy at the HSE Substance Misuse Service in South Tipperary. Running three afternoons a week, it supports service users facing homelessness, social isolation, or reoffending. Guided by a horticulturist and an assigned key worker, participants grow organic vegetables, practise floristry, and enjoy a hot lunch each session.  

Initiatives that Support Wellbeing through the Arts 

RADE — Recovery through Art, Drama & Education — has supported people affected by problematic drug and alcohol use since 2004 through creative, community-based arts programmes. Collaborating with professional artists across film, theatre, music, and visual art, RADE fosters connection, collaboration, and self-esteem through shared creative projects. Over two decades, around 500 participants have contributed to professional-standard work, including ten films, an opera, three musical dramas, and annual art exhibitions. By championing the belief that creativity belongs to everyone, RADE turns recovery into a platform for artistic expression and achievement. 

The Inclusive Dance Programme is a collaboration between Integrate Dance Group, Cumas and Waterford & Wexford ETB. It brings together people with and without disabilities to explore dance in a collaborative, welcoming environment. Structured into Beginner and Advanced levels, it offers pathways from foundational dance genres to more intricate choreography and technique. By breaking down societal barriers, it builds a genuinely inclusive community where everyone can learn, express themselves, and grow through dance. 

The Blocks is an arts initiative collaboration between Rialto Community Drug Team and City of Dublin ETB Community Education programme. A core group of women, impacted by addiction across their lives, work weekly with an animation teacher and self-development teacher to create characters and stories rooted in their own experiences. This creative process helps them explore addiction and generational trauma without shame, resulting in two animated short films and two companion documentaries reflecting on impact in Dublin 8. The project has since expanded through public screenings, community workshops, and a group workbook, with a third film released in early 2025. 

Clondalkin Recovery Choir brings together people in recovery, their families, and supporters through the healing power of music. Founded in 2022 by the Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force team alongside Station 1 Rehabilitation Programme, a qualified vocal educator leads the choir. Rooted in the therapeutic benefits of singing, it offers a safe, uplifting space for connection and healing. Since its founding, the choir has grown steadily, continuing to support recovery journeys through shared voice and community.