2011 Launch | Be Strong Project

We’re On Our Way – The Be Strong Launch!

January 17th saw the welcome launch of this unique initiative whose aim is to reach out to the lost people in our society and give them the opportunity to change. Be Strong, provide a service that is unique and an approach that worked for Darren Armstrong in his struggle with drug addiction and anger issues.

Be Strong’s new clients with project director Darren Armstrong and Scott Thomas from Phoenix Gym (2nd & immediate right respectively). Michelle Delaney from Dynamikz, running the personal development workshop.

The launch kicked off with an induction and the first personal development workshop which was delivered by one of Be Strong’s partners, the charity Dynamikz.

The induction provided an introduction to what the project’s clients can expect, what would be expected from them and everyone had a good laugh in the process.

This session was very well received by the clients, who all bonded straight away and were made to feel safe, accepted and most importantly – not judged. Then it was onto the gym for the first physical training session!

Bolton’s former pro boxer, Johnny Nelson also attended the launch and is very interested in doing some voluntary work for the project by providing free boxing classes once we find funding to locate a venue to run them in.

Recent press coverage and the launch has generated lots of interest from various agencies including Bolton Wise “Next Step” which offers expert advice on employment who will be visiting the project to give clients some information about the services available.

Be Strong are grateful to Derek Smith the Senior Minister at Kings Church Centre, Bolton who is very passionate about reaching out to local communities for providing the personal development venue, Phoenix Gym and Sean Reddaway, a partner of Michelle Delaney at Dynamikz.

Be Strong SAVES LIVES & THE PUBLIC PURSE!

Estimated cost per person to set up Job Seekers Allowance is over £300.

Estimated cost per person to set up Welfare-to-Work programme is over £400.

The cost of getting an adult into work through a welfare-to-work programme is over £4500.

Job seekers allowance (paid to the job seeker; not cost to the taxpayer) is over £3500 per year (age 25+).

The bill for Class A drug-related crime has hit £100billion since 1998, while the health costs have added another £10billion, according to the charity Addaction.

Each person who remained dependent on illegal drugs cost the taxpayer about £44,000.

Addaction chief executive Deborah Cameron said: 'ILLEGAL DRUG USE IS COSTING THE UK TAXPAYER £16.4BILLION A YEAR, which is more than ONE-AND-A-HALF TIMES THE COST OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN 2012!

The combined cost of general medical and psychiatric treatment, addiction services and crime amounted to £11,404 per person.

A person in temporary supported accommodation for single homeless will cost the taxpayer over £13,500 (plus £5,000 with added mental health issues).

A three month stay in prison will COST OVER £9,000

A person age 25+ claiming job seekers allowance, on a welfare-to-work programme and committing crime to feed an addiction, having spent 3 months in prison and is now living in supported accommodation and struggling with minor mental health WILL COST THE TAXPAYER OVER £47,600 IN THE FIRST YEAR!

If the person does not sustain the employment due to addiction or lacking personal development and falls back into the system these costs are repeated.

Be Strong at £150,000 per year per borough working with 60 people and successfully recovering just 5 per year will potentially SAVE THE TAXPAYER A MINIMUM OF £238,000 PER YEAR!!!!

LETS SAY THAT AGAIN: Successfully recovering just 5 people per year will potentially SAVE THE TAXPAYER A MINIMUM OF £238,000 PER YEAR!!!!

Rehabilitating just four people per year makes Be Strong financially viable to the local Council.

17 prolific priority offenders were referred in to the Be Strong project last year and 14 of them didn't go on to reoffend - that's approximately an 82% REDUCTION IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY!!