Atebion (the Welsh word for ‘Solutions’) is a unique grassroots initiative based in North Wales, which has been developed to help people overcome addiction and other forms of adversity in natural community settings, as well as tackle the disconnection in society that is having a negative impact on our social and emotional wellbeing. In order to address its aims, Atebion will empower and connect individuals, families, and communities. It will provide hope, enhance understanding, and help people gain a sense of belonging. Please read the Rationale underlying our initiative.
Personal values are the core beliefs and principles that guide our decisions, actions, decisions, and overall behaviour. They are fundamental to who we are as a person and how we navigate our life. Anyone working in the recovery field needs strong positive values. In fact, we all do. Here are ten values to which we have tried to abide by over the years we’ve worked in the field: acceptance, authenticity, courage, creativity, curiosity, empathy, gratitude, reciprocity, social justice, and trust.
Atebion was founded by Rich Price, a person in long-term recovery from addiction and former staff member at North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC). It was developed in response to the poor recovery outcomes in the mainstream system, and its failure to adequately tackle problems that lead to addiction and related problems. Our strategy has been developed in collaboration with Professor David Clark, an internationally recognised recovery advocate and developer of grassroots initiatives. It is based on the experiences of people who have overcome great adversity, as well as the ideas of world-leading experts.
We believe that people who have overcome great adversity, such as addiction and/or trauma, represent important assets in helping facilitate healing in individuals, families, and communities. Our team of Recovery Advocates, who have such a background, form the core of Atebion and represent a powerful force for change. They are supported by our EPOC Programme and are involved in delivering our storytelling and education initiatives, as well as our advocacy work.
Our programme of activities can be represented by a circle of change … helping transform disconnection into connection, thereby improving social and emotional wellbeing in communities in North Wales and further afield. We are helping Transform Pain Into Power. Learn more about the Atebion Model here.
I grew up around alcohol. Drinking was a daily thing for my parents and wider family, who ran bars, pubs, and clubs. I saw the fun, and I saw the damage it caused. Some of my relatives drank themselves to the bitter end, but at such a young age this was overlooked, as these people were my heroes.
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It’s all about giving new arrivals a sense of connection at the earliest opportunity. I’ve seen people connect and stay, and others who couldn’t make that connection and leave, and then relapse. Little gestures can make a huge difference. An invite to come out with a few of us …
I believe that we who care about addiction and the environment must continue the heroic rescue work, but I also believe that the even more essential task is getting rid of “the-son of-a-bitch upstream,” i.e., the vicious cycle that is described by the global, historical view of addiction.
Please check out Recovery Voices, the website developed by David Clark and Wulf Livingston, which contains a good deal of relevant content, some related to members of Atebion.