Hi everyone! It’s Brian again, with just a few days left before the program ends and we head back home. These four weeks have been a tremendous experience for me and I’ve really enjoyed being able to experience a foreign culture here in Durham, England. We’ve had a jam-packed schedule that has included a tour of Durham Cathedral and Alnwick Castle, a panel with the mayor and other city officials about the economic state of Durham, marching in the annual Miner’s Gala, and a tour of the coal mines at Beamish; all exciting activities that have taught us a lot about the culture of Durham.
For our work placements, Cord and I have been working with the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Team (DART) at HM Prison Durham. DART works with inmates who struggle with substance abuse or addictions and helps them to overcome their addictions and plan for a clean, healthy life once they are released from prison. We have had the opportunity to see almost all facets of their work as well as other similar programs that are going on in the prison, including vocational training, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and SMART (Self Management and Recovery Training). All of these groups have been extremely welcoming to us, and we’ve had plenty of opportunities to chat with the prisoners and get to know them pretty well. It’s been really terrific to get such an up-close look at something that I really didn’t have much exposure to beforehand outside of movies and popular stereotypes. Some of the stories the prisoners have told about their addictions completely took over their lives have been a bit shocking, but there is some really great working being done as they progress in their recoveries. I’ve been overwhelmed with how friendly and open they all are, both amongst each other and with Cord and I. Overall, it’s been a fantastic experience at the prison and in Durham for the past few weeks!
For our work placements, Cord and I have been working with the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Team (DART) at HM Prison Durham. DART works with inmates who struggle with substance abuse or addictions and helps them to overcome their addictions and plan for a clean, healthy life once they are released from prison. We have had the opportunity to see almost all facets of their work as well as other similar programs that are going on in the prison, including vocational training, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and SMART (Self Management and Recovery Training). All of these groups have been extremely welcoming to us, and we’ve had plenty of opportunities to chat with the prisoners and get to know them pretty well. It’s been really terrific to get such an up-close look at something that I really didn’t have much exposure to beforehand outside of movies and popular stereotypes. Some of the stories the prisoners have told about their addictions completely took over their lives have been a bit shocking, but there is some really great working being done as they progress in their recoveries. I’ve been overwhelmed with how friendly and open they all are, both amongst each other and with Cord and I. Overall, it’s been a fantastic experience at the prison and in Durham for the past few weeks!