SUSTAIN aims to be a self-sufficient peer-led group. We are a grassroots group of peers. This is not a hierarchy it’s horizontal. Transparency and honesty are very important.
At this time, SUSTAIN is supported by Lift Community Services which provides the following services and supports:
Administration
includes things like; payroll, financial, grant funds, insurance, office space, access to office supplies and support.
Leadership / Guidance
includes but is not limited to Lift Community Services policies and procedures, Coordinator debrief and support, hiring SUSTAIN staff / contract staff and more.
The Coordinator
for SUSTAIN always reports back to the larger membership and does not make major decisions on their own.
Groups
can be made to help support projects, grants, and issues; in the past, these have been created from members indicating interest and with consideration to encourage all members to participate in small group work (rotating interested members throughout the groups / projects).
Everyone is welcome to join us and all efforts are made to include everyone
Anyone who attends a meeting is a SUSTAIN member
Weekly Meetings
SUSTAIN hosts regular meetings for conversation, webinars, updates and time for planning and working together.
These meetings are for people with lived & living experience with substance use who are interested in gathering together to work on projects, provide & receive peer support, participate in learning sessions, and connect with us.
Meetings focus on; harm reduction education and access, increase self-advocacy and build skills in leadership, peer support, overdose prevention and overdose response.
Standing meeting items:
updates about what is happening with SUSTAIN projects and updates about what is happening in community around overdose awareness and response, snacks and coffee!
Group Guidelines
SUSTAIN members value respect above all else.
These guidelines have been developed by SUSTAIN Peer Support Workers, SUSTAIN members / meeting participants, and the SUSTAIN Coordinator. They are meant to guide meetings and hold each other accountable to create a safer space for all participants. They often carry over to all SUSTAIN–hosted events including trainings (e.g. Street Degree classes). They are subject to negotiation, additions, edits, etc. as time goes on and the needs of the group changes.
- Confidentiality
- Don’t interrupt / talk over
- Respect, kindness and inclusion
- Don’t steal from others or meeting place
- Stay in your own lane – don’t give unsolicited advice, don’t analyze or try to fix others
- Step up, Step back + Take Turns (if you are someone who talks a lot, try listening more, and if you are someone who doesn’t talk much, try speaking up and sharing your thoughts)
- Language Matters – be considerate, don’t use stigmatizing language, se person-first language, be e.g. don’t’ use addict / junkie to describe others)
- Don’t buy or sell drugs at the meeting (before or after, on-site)
- Use the buddy system for safer use
- Clean up after yourself
- No violence of any kind
- Keep drugs debts far away from meeting
- Hold yourself and others accountable