On 15th September 2018 the Scottish Recovery Consortium launched the Recoverist Network.
A bit of Recoverist History
In 2014 people in recovery from substance misuse in the UK, Italy and Turkey collaboratively developed a manifesto that attempts to humanise the face of addiction.
Through workshops with people in the 3 countries, Clive Parkinson and Mark Prest produced The Recoverist Manifesto which aimed to dispel the stigmatised myths and legends associated with substance misuse by reframing addiction as a health issue and recovery as a civil rights concern.
As a result of this work -and many discussions along the way - the idea of Recoverism, and being a Recoverist, has been developing and growing.
Recovery is, and always will be, a very personal journey. But on a wider level, Recoverism recognises that the lessons we learn on this journey can apply more widely.
Substance use is just one strand of recovery, our work with the Mental Health community this year has taught us that we have so much in common and that Together We Flourish.
And that commonality also applies to people recovering from a whole range of issues. And not only them - but their family, friends and colleagues.
We have often heard our friends and allies say, "But I am not in recovery" when we welcome them to be part of our community.
But being a Recoverist is to be part of our community, it recognises that our shared values are rooted in the same place, even if we have come to that place by a different paths. Recoverism welcomes anyone who sees recovery as a way to heal our wounded world.
For these reasons we have created the Recoverist Network.
To make recovery more visible, to invite people to join the rebellion of the compassionate communities and to show the world that we Walk Our Talk.