Aims:

New Central Media is a not-for-profit organisation which has the following aims:

1.       To elevate the evidence base surrounding lived experience voices in drug addiction recovery

2.       To create a professional platform that validates this evidence base to help reduce stigma

3.       To provide a platform that bridges together academic evidence with lived experience of addiction and recovery in a collaborative and co-produced manner.

4.       To create content/media that creates community and communities of practice.

5.       To create an internationally recognised platform for the lived experience evidence base as a reputable alternative to ‘mainstream’ publishers

Initial Outputs:

1.       To publish autobiographies of those with lived experience of drug addiction and recovery and the stories of the development, impact, contagion and cascade of a Lived Experience Recovery Organisations or similar organisations or mechanisms.

2.       To publish a series of books that combine academic content with lived experience accounts which highlight what works in drug addiction recovery.  Each book in the series will also highlight what is needed to inform practice and policy. 

Potential topics for books in this ‘Pathways’ series include:

1.       Gendered Pathways Lived Experience Reader.

2.       The role of Race and Ethnicity in Recovery Pathways.

3.       The role of technology in Recovery.

4.       The Culture of Recovery.

5.       Lived Experience Recovery Organisations as Epicentres of Change and Innovation,

6.       A Lived Experience Recovery Capital Pathways Reader.

7.       The Power of Social Connection and Community in Recovery.

How can we partner together?

If you have an idea for a specific book mentioned above, or if have your own idea for a book or other type of media not mentioned above, then we would love to hear from you. If you have any comments about this guidance document or something that you would like to see added to the guidance for authors then please get in touch.  We want to create this with each of you.  Please email Dr. David Patton at d.patton@derby.ac.uk to discuss.

Do you want to contribute a chapter to a book listed in the Pathways series above?

Thanks for your interest in contributing a chapter to a book mentioned above.  Please read on and register your interest in contributing using the link below

https://forms.office.com/e/H3BTL41Nxw

Contributor Guidelines:

Please don’t exclude yourself from contributing a chapter. We want to include the story of your journey.  We know that your knowledge is important and powerful.  When shared with others it has the potential to help support their journey, inform future practice, research and policy approaches.  We will use our networks to provide an evidence-based approach to promote positive and inclusive change and new approaches and opportunities.

No previous writing experience or qualifications are necessary!  You mayhate writing and so we are keen to think out of the box to make sure you can contribute your story.  For example, it may be that you tell someone your story to a friend or someone you know which is recorded and then typed up.

Ideally, we are looking for chapters of between 3,000 – 5,000 words.  This may seem like a lot, but we can support in terms of providing a suggested structure with word counts per section to help you present your story (see suggested structures below which are specific to each book’s theme).  We are flexible on the word count so please do approach us with your content and we can take things from there.

This is your story and so use language and a style of writing that expresses your lived/living experiences.  Do not try to create a formal or academic piece of writing unless in the unlikely event this is your preferred or natural style of writing.

We ask that the names of people are changed in your chapter to ensure that their confidentiality is maintained. As well as any other identifying information such as locations or organisation names etc. 

We take a collaborative approach and want to co-produce the ‘pathways’ book series.  Therefore, we acknowledge we don’t have all of the answers, nor do we want to present a prescribed list that others have to follow. We welcome your input into the creation of each book, including what themes need to be included and discussed etc.  Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, and suggestions of what to do, what can be done and what not to do!

The Pathways Series

We will open three initial calls for contributions to 3 ‘pathways’ themed books.  One on Gendered Pathways to Recovery.  The second on Race and Ethnicity.  The third on the role of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations to create and sustain change and innovation.

Gendered Pathways Reader:

We are keen to hear your experience and how your gender impacted upon your experience positively and negatively.  From that place we are also keen to consider how approaches used in the future may be changed to better accommodate a co-produced pathway. We offer the following as potential themes you may want to include in your chapter.

What facilitators and barriers did you face in addiction and recovery due to your gender? Did any of the following impact upon your journey: domestic violence, child care responsibilities, other caring responsibilities, barriers to accessing support services due to being female, a mum etc. How did being female, a mum impact on your ability to work? How was your housing situation impacted as a result of being female, a mum etc? How important were friendships and family supports to you in your journey? What stigma did you face from friends and family, from professionals and from those within your local community?

These themes and questions are not exhaustive, please email us so that we can design this book together and add further points to help others think about issues that they may consider including.

General suggested Chapter structure for the Gendered Pathways Book

Please note that the following is only a suggested structure and provides suggested word counts for each section of the chapter as a guide to what your final submitted chapter may look like.  We are happy to include chapters that do not stick to this format or word count.  We offer it to ‘paint a picture’ as a means of supporting people in breaking a chapter structure down into manageable ‘parts’.  Please feel free to increase or decrease section word counts to match your experiences and your journey.

Introduction: introduce yourself, where you are now in your journey. (500 words)

What things helped you in your recovery journey? (1000 words)

What things acted as barriers in your recovery journey? (1000 words)

Final reflections on where you are now in your journey and what you have learnt (500 words)

The role of Race and Ethnicity in Recovery Pathways Reader.

We are keen to hear your experience and how your race and ethnicity have impacted upon your experience positively and negatively.  From that place we are also keen to hear your views as to what needs to change to provide more inclusive and positive experiences.

What facilitators and barriers did you face in addiction and recovery due to your race and ethnicity?  What values, beliefs and approaches supported or hindered your journey?  How did systems and structures impact positively or negatively on your journey?  What role did formal interventions play for you?  What role did informal sources of support play for you? How important were friendships and family supports to you in your journey? What stigma did you face from friends and family, from professionals and from those within your local community?

General suggested Chapter structure for the Race and Ethnicity Book

Please note that the following is only a suggested structure and provides suggested word counts for each section of the chapter as a guide to what your final submitted chapter may look like.  We are happy to include chapters that do not stick to this format or word count.  We offer it to ‘paint a picture’ as a means of supporting people in breaking a chapter structure down into manageable ‘parts’.  Please feel free to increase or decrease section word counts to match your experiences and your journey.

Introduction: introduce yourself, where you are now in your journey. (300 words)

What things helped you in your recovery journey? (700 words)

What things acted as barriers in your recovery journey? (700 words)

What changes would you like to see to professional practice and within organisations and society to help bring about positive change? (600 words)

What changes would you like to see at a policy level to help bring about positive change? (500 words)

Final concluding comments and observations or remarks (200 words)

Lived Experience Recovery Organisations as Epicentres of Change and Innovation Book

I am looking to complete a series of podcast interviews with people who lead a LERO.  The interview and any other written information you provide would provide the material for your chapter to the book.  

Are you the leader of a Lived Experience Recovery Organisation? Would you be willing to share your story and reflections on your organisation’s journey? What is unique and different about what the organisation does? What challenges you have faced and continue to face?  What is needed to move the needle on the role of LERO’s in recovery.

Email me on d.patton@derby.ac.uk to arrange a time to chat.