FDS 2023 Annual Report

17 Stepping Stones Review... Stepping Stones is Family Drug Support's (FDS) flagship and award-winning program for families and friends of people of who have problematic use of alcohol and/or drugs. Stepping Stones is a psycho-educational and experiential course. Participants will acquire practical skills and gain increased awareness of self and the motivation to achieve better self-care. They will also benefit from increased confidence and competence in managing the complex nature of drug and alcohol issues. The aim is for family members to become more resilient and to cope better with their journey. Stepping Stones courses take place over two weekends – four full days from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Stepping Stones - Course Delivery FDS Stepping Stones program was first delivered in 2001 and continues to go from strength to strength in terms of delivery and coverage. Into its 22 nd year of delivery and via measuring participant outcomes pre & post and again at 3 months follow-up, FDS is proud to note that Stepping Stones continues to achieve positive outcomes, including improvements in all dimensions of coping (anger, boundaries, control, denial, family self- esteem, trust). FDS Stepping Stones program delivery has continued to recover from the impact of COVID-19. In comparison with 2021-2022 financial year where FDS delivered 9 courses, we were able to deliver 11 courses with 124 participants in 2022-2023 with a participant satisfaction rating of 9.4 out of 10 which is comparative with past years performance. Courses delivered 11 124 participants Participant Satisfaction Rating 9.4 out of 10