The rehabilitation program
- Participation of the members of a dormitory in joint activity
- The purposes of the program
- Stages of the program
- Duration of the program
The rehabilitation program of the centre consists of three stages. These are
adaptation, rehabilitation
and returning to normal life. More detail will
be explained below. Once the person has gone through the first stage, the rehabilitating man begins to take on responsibilities related to work inside the centre and behind its limits. The performance of this task is under the constant control of one of the monitors.
Thus it is very important that the rehabilitating man realize his new situation without dependence upon drugs and learn to make independent decisions gradually.
The majority of the workers of the centre who take on the role of monitors, were themselves once addicted to drugs and now perform all the activities of the centre and its workshops, assuming responsibility for:
- Management and leadership in the centre.
- Therapeutic work and help for the rehabilitating people in the three stages of the program.
- Making decisions consistently on the development of the rehabilitation program activities.
- As monitors and managers of occupational workshops, planning and organizing chores and work.
All personnel, which the centre has today, is involved in work
on a voluntary basis and is composed, in the majority of cases, of rehabilitating people
who, after terminating the rehabilitation period, decide to remain at the centre to help anothers, out of a Christian commitment to aid and to serve the needy. They fulfil functions on management, reception and other responsibilities in the house. They receive no set compensation, while living in the Centre, but are given a variable monthly sum to cover their personal espenses (i.e. clothes, dental work, trips, etc.) as needed.
The main purpose of the program is the rehabilitation of addicts and to prepare them for returning to life in society:
At a biological level
- Natural self-cleaning of a body,
- Restoration of physical health.
On a psycho-social level
- Taking into consideration the present condition of the rehabilitating man, physical as well as psychological, analizing the probable causes which led to the use of drugs and the continuation of their use. Simultaneously, establishing a purpose for change, based on a life-style without drugs,
- Use of strategy directed towards the sanction of internal problems,
techniques for confronting and handling conflicts with the purpose
of rehabilitation and subsequent return to normal life,
- Restoration of family and public relations,
- Active emotional involvement of a drug-dependent person in the process of recovery.
STAGE 1. Adaptation
This is the simplest stage and requires about fifteen days, in which we attempt to motivate the member to go forward in combating his problem.
This stage includes long walks, contact with nature and massages, which help to ease the syndrome of abstention.
During this stage we try completely to exclude all contact with the rehabilitating man's former environment previous to induction into the centre. Except for special circumstances, he can not receive visitors nor make telephone calls within the first fifteen days.
Nevertheless, he is allowed to continue correspondence with his relatives
from the start. Also during this period, his family members will be provided with all the information needed concerning the progress of the rehabilitating man by the monitors and those responsible for the particular house in which he resides.
Upon arriving, the new rehabilitating man is assigned a "shadow", someone to accompanying him 24 hours a day, during his whole stay at the centre.
The duty of the "shadow" is to explain to the rehabilitating man the rules for living at the centre and to help by his own experience (practically all personnel in the centre are former addicts) in overcoming the craving for drugs and to teach proper behaviour in society.
STAGE 2. Rehabilitation
This stage begins 15 days after reception in the centre. At this stage, we want the rehabilitating people to learn naturally and comfortably how to find their place in society. We note and analyze their behaviour in various situations, including urban conditions.
Activities carried out at this stage:
The rehabilitating people undertake labour in industrial practical workshops at the centre. We take on the task of imparting to them diligence towards that which will be useful to them after going through the time of rehabilitation.
The young men are trained to do joiner's works, repair and painting of automobiles, restoration of furniture, welding, PVC window assembly, repair of home appliances (i.e. washing machines, refrigerators), civil work, and are engaged also in the transportation of cargoes.
The girls are trained to reupholster furniture and other fabric works, painting wooden hand-made articles, which are made by the young men in the workshop, distribution of advertisement from the centre and
other firms, cleaning of premises, sale of second-hand clothes and their own hand-made articles.
In their leisure time the rehabilitating people have an opportunity to learn to play guitar, to participate in theatrical productions and pantomimes, which take place on the streets with the purpose of warning the general public of the harmfulness of drugs. Table tennis, a football field and volleyball court are available.
Christian assemblies featuring testimonies of people, who have
left drugs and have learned to live in a new way, regularly take place.
Meetings with family. At this stage the family plays an important
role and has great significance. We call it "the school for parents". Through this means, we attempt to overcome the break in family relationships, created by drugs, and to form a basis for reinsertion into society at the proper time. The parents also receive counsel from the monitors.
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STAGE 3. Returning to normal life
At this stage the rehabilitating people begin normal labour and public life.
They receive an opportunity to work in a city, to drive a motor vehicle,
and to supervise various activities. They are entrusted to accompany newer rehabilitating man, thereby gaining labour, psychological and social experience.
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The rehabilitating man remains voluntarily at the centre and leaves,
when the members of the personnel consider it feasible. The necessary duration of stay at the Centre is at least 8 months and up to a maximum of 18 months. Term of stay can be prolonged, if the personnel consider it necessary, considering fundamentally the motivation and
condition of the rehabilitating man.
The rehabilitating man cannot be kept at the centre against his will.
If a desire to leave the centre occurs, those responsible will converse with him concerning this. If the rehabilitating man's intentions do not change, he will be granted the freedom to leave the centre.