When you’re facing homelessness and substance use, it’s easy to feel like the world’s stacked against you. That’s where Lee and the SPHERE service step in, to make sure no one has to face that fight alone.
SPHERE, a Concrete support service in Stoke-on-Trent, works with people who use psychoactive substances like monkey dust. The service’s message is simple: everyone deserves a safe home, no matter what stage of their journey they’re on. From there, people can start rebuilding, and Substance Support Worker Lee is there every step of the way to help make that happen.
When SPHERE first started working with Ryan, he was struggling with substance use and had nowhere to stay. Lee and the team helped move him into an accommodation in the community, a huge step forward for someone trying to find stability.
But things quickly took a dangerous turn because Ryan was vulnerable, local gangs took over his flat. Using it as a base to deal drugs and carry out prostitution. They controlled the space, stole his money every week, and left him scared in his own home.
As soon as the team spotted what was happening, they acted fast. Lee and the team arranged for Ryan to be moved into a 24/7 supported housing scheme. There, he’d be surrounded by a dedicated team who could keep him safe, step in if anything looked off, and make sure no one could take advantage of him again.
In this 24/7 scheme, Ryan finally had stability. He was able to focus on his own journey, rather than just surviving day to day. Lee worked closely with him to get on a methadone script to manage his addiction safely, and since then he’s already reduced his dosage.
He’s engaging well with the team, attending appointments, and taking positive steps forward. Recently, he even completed a referral for rehab, with the goal of becoming completely substance-free.
Lee says this kind of progress is what makes his job worth it: “When someone goes from being exploited and scared to feeling safe and believing in themselves again, that’s everything. That’s why we do what we do”.
Stories like Ryan’s show exactly why SPHERE exists. For people who’ve fallen through the cracks, it provides safety, support, and the change to take their next step, whatever that looks like for them.
Lee and the team don’t just tackle addiction, they tackle what’s underneath it. By offering stability and standing alongside people when things get rough, they help customers find strength they didn’t know they had.
At Concrete, we believe no one should be written off because of substance use. With the right support, people can, and do, rebuild their lives. And thanks to services like SPHERE and people like Lee, that’s what’s happening every day.
Find out more about SPHERE here
