“When people are empowered, they’ll fix their own problems.”
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That is what the co-founder of The Cottage, a drug and alcohol residential facility in Shepparton, Rob Bryant believes.
He’s seen the theory in practice many times.
Since the self-funded residency was established in 2017, 500 substance abusers have passed through.
The staff and volunteers have a unique insight into the tried and true methods at this facility, given their training was not just textbook, they all had something more powerful. They have lived experience of addiction.
“A couple of people went to Alcoholics Anonymous and thought that program has all the ingredients for people to get out of addiction,“ Mr Bryant said.
“So why don’t we just set up some houses where people can live and get them to meetings, get them to doctors, get them to psychologists, get them to dentists and all of the sudden, that’s the model we had.
“Then we looked at getting them back to work.
“It all hinges on getting them to those 12-step meetings.”
He said AA and Narcotics Anonymous meetings were available right across the world and for free, so people could easily access them to continue their recovery journeys independently after their 12-week stay at the facility.
“People don’t ever have to be disconnected again,” Mr Bryant said.
Former chief executive of The Cottage and program facilitator, counsellor and coach Maria Hutchison has worked at three rehabilitation facilities in her time.
She believes The Cottage’s key to success is that it provides a safe space for residents.
“We’ve got four basic needs and they include to feel safe and secure, be seen and heard, and learn how to comfort ourselves without addiction,” she said.
She said some rehabilitation facilities could cost up to $100,000 a month, which made them out of reach for many suffering from addiction.
While there are no fancy pools or daily massages at The Cottage, Ms Hutchison said residents got just as good a program fundamentally for a much smaller cost.
“It’s safe and it’s stable,” Ms Hutchison said.
“It’s connection that brings a sense of hope.“
The Cottage receives $100,000 from the Federal Government each year — based on $1000 per resident — a deal secured by former Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum some years ago. Other than that, it’s self-funded.
In addition to the minimal lump sum fee residents pay for their three-month stays, there’s a weekly boarding fee, which covers accommodation, food and amenity costs.
Residents have a daily routine that starts with meditation, sharing and chores, followed by a workshop to cover one of the topics inside The Cottage’s own curated workbook, The Cottage Conversation.
They run errands, occasionally have supervised social activities, and take turns cooking the evening meals with the cooking team they’ve been assigned to.
After that, they are taken to AA and NA meetings.
Each four-week block of the 12-week program is considered a stage.
During stage one, residents are not permitted to leave the facility without a worker. They can only leave with one for essential reasons. Mobile phones are not allowed, but one 20-minute phone call from the office on a landline is permitted.
Stage two sees residents able to temporarily leave the facility unaccompanied and return by a curfew, depending on whether they have bail conditions that allow them to. Some 75 per cent of residents through The Cottage are bailed there. The other 25 percent are self-admitted.
Stage three gives residents more freedom again as they learn how to do things independently and prepare to re-enter society.
The facility consists of three houses on four adjoining properties with a total of 23 beds for residents. It’s in Shepparton’s south and is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It has six staff and several volunteers, the latter further helping to keep running costs down.
While a rehabilitation facility for troubled addicts might not inspire thoughts of the homeliest environment, that is what the fittingly named The Cottage space replicates.
Despite residents hailing from all corners, all social classes, all genders and all backgrounds, Mr Bryant says most arguments are about doing the dishes.
“Or someone left a cup out,” Ms Hutchison added with a laugh.
It would appear that the vision founders had to create a place where people felt they belonged and reconnected has been achieved.
There are spaces currently available at The Cottage.
∎ For more information on The Cottage or to request an application, visit thecottage.org.au
∎ If you’re struggling with addiction, call DirectLine 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 888 236
Senior journalist