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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Drug and alcohol charity Addaction to change name

This news post is about 4 years old
 

The charity will now be known as We Are With You.

Drug, alcohol and mental health charity Addaction is to change its name as part of a major rebrand.

The charity said its new name - We Are With You – better reflects its ethos and history of treating people it supports as equals.

With stigma and shame remaining significant barriers preventing people from accessing help, research found the new name was seen as “inclusive, approachable and reassuring”.

A new, more user-friendly website featuring the new name and a refreshed visual identity will be launched at the end of February.

Laura Bunt, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Through changing our name to We Are With You and creating a new visual identity and website, we hope to be more accessible to people who use or might use our services. This could be someone who just wants some advice on staying safe or to make some small changes, through to those looking for bigger lifestyle changes or structured treatment.

“Our research shows that language around addiction can in itself be a huge barrier to people seeking help. As We Are With You, we will use everyday language and focus on the help we offer, not the problem.”

With one in six people in the UK having experience of issues around drugs, alcohol, metal health or self-harm, We Are With You will continue to offer free and confidential help, both in-person and online. Every year, more than 100,000 people receive advice and support from the charity.

Ms Bunt added: “Our new name also better reflects the ethos and history of our services and how we work with people as equal partners.

“At a time when millions of people are experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol and mental health and often going without help, we want to make it as easy as possible for people to take the first step in getting support.

“By building our brand, we also hope to better influence the national conversation around drugs, alcohol and mental health so even more people can get the help and support that they need.”