"My experience of trying to regain life direction and seek opportunities"

My experience so far of Bridgeing The Gap (BTG) - yes I'm a service user, but my primary care under ADS. Encouraged to go to BTG, I believed ADS, why would I not! ? I've no confidence, self belief and am definitely lacking skills for employment. I was told that BTG would help me in gaining employment skills and much more. Sadly it didn't deliver.

I myself an ex substance misuser - you name it, I've taken, ingested, injected everything. Now, I'm not even on a substitute of anykind now. But BTG isn't what's helped me. If anything it has been more help in making me leave my home and socialize and, yes I've made freinds!

I think that BTG is too focused on alcohol users, too generic in what is assumed by the 'teacher', who talks about being inclusive to us 'students', but I don't feel it acts or practices the language of inclusion to the students.

It's not a personal issue, I'm deeply dissapointed at BTG. For me, it's not delivered a single jot. I myself, entirely, have had to sort, educate, learn, observe, did everything, still am too, entirely myself, helping myself skills, volunteering etc. Volunteering was promised to us all, many have grumbled about the total lack of direction as promised by our teacher. I've listened and helped my fellow students, in pointing or suggesting for any direction, for their futures.

I feel there are too many flaws with BTG, it's kept simple and generic for the ones who 'teach' but in reality, I found there to be no real depth of anykind, in the futures, hopes, dreams, skills, employment hopes and so much more, that many a human being needs, requires, to ever go forward to gain an education or employment. It felt stale to me.

I feel my opinion and thoughts were not heard, listened to, but also, many a student is still using narcotics, whilst others are routinely still drinking alcohol! I m confused that, these ladies and gentlemen are turned a blind eye to, whilst the ones who keep clean and really WANT life direction etc are left to flounder.

I would like people to listen and learn from each other, and help each other, share your knowledge and very real skills amongst yourselves as I do believe and have learnt that BTG didn't help me, I did and am doing it ALL myself, I felt throughout and still do, that BTG was keeping people in employment.

What should replace it? Ideally, new ideas, also real results of previous service users who have now remained clean and in employment, life etc, an education, the real stuff.

What of the more mature in age service users? The service users, who are the majority? The service users that are clean, but lost in direction? What is going on? Good luck people, don't give up, as I havn't. I didn't need to experience BTG, nothing gained.

As for my volunteering opportunities, I researched, applied for, sorted my own referees, college course applied for in becoming an electrician. All entirely on my own. Just wish I'd done it sooner, rather than go on BTG.