LERO stands for ‘A lived experience recovery organisation’. Simply, it is an independent organisation led by people with lived experience of drug and alcohol recovery. They deliver peer support, recovery support services, harm reduction interventions and can also help people access external support services.
LEROs often start as small, informal groups in recovery and grow into larger organisations with volunteers and teams of staff. However, they stay independent and maintain autonomy which means they can adapt quickly to changing situations, and they can remain focused on the needs of people with lived or living experiences and actively support them.
LEROs also work to reduce stigma and due to their understanding of drug and alcohol addiction, they can advocate for recovery communities. This also allows LEROs to strengthen relationships with local businesses that want to support local groups and communities.
As a LERO these qualities are all reflected in our own key objectives:
- Support people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
- Creating a cleaner and greener local community.
- Provide our volunteers with pathways to employment.
- Promote environmentalism and sustainability.
- Promote abstinence-based recovery.
- Change the public perception of addiction.
You can read more about our story here
Image description: Getting Clean icon. Royal blue colour. 3 minimalist figures that represent people, inside a circle.