13 Peer Mentors have now been recruited  and are in the process of being trained through an OCN accredited course.

The Peer Mentoring Scheme is designed to help substance misusers' get their lives back, through training, volunteering or employment.  Our Peer Mentors are often ex-substance or alcohol misuers who understand what our clients are going through and can offer the benefit of their experiences.

We are now ready to take client referrals in Cardiff and the Vale.  For more information contact Sarah Williams on 07956 579700.

We are delighted to say that Kaleidoscope has retained the Newport service which is great news.

This is great credit to the staff team involved in writing this bid.

Kaleidoscope has been working with the Department for Work and Pensions and Wales Council for Voluntary Action to support and benefit from the Future Jobs Fund.  This fund has been set up to support local job creation, primarily for 18-24 year olds who have been unemployed for more than a year.  Suitable candidates will be given full time employment contracts for six month.  We consider this to be an excellent way of assisting young people into employment and giving them valuable employment experience, whilst at the same time assisting with the range of work that the organisation undertakes. 

14 jobs have been created within Kaleidoscope's Welsh services, with jobs covering a wide spectrum of activity, including finance administration, service quality development and hands-on work within our services.

The KForce Cafe and Drop-In project opened its doors for the first time on Monday 25th January.  The project is run by KForce, the service user group from the Kaleidoscope drugs project in Newport.  The project is designed to empower and entrust our service users with a unique social enterprise initiative.  The buzz that has been apparent within the drop-in this week between the service users is testment to the benefits that a project like this can have for people who have changed their drug use.

To begin with, the cafe will be open from Monday-Friday from 2 pm - 4.30 pm.  These hours will increase once the group has gained more confidence and experience.  In future, the cafe will offer fairly-priced home cooked lunches.  This will include a vegetarian option.

At the moment, the cafe is serving light snacks.  Two internet work stations have just been included, and are for use by patrons of the cafe.  On Friday afternoons a service user will be on hand to teach basic IT skills.  KForce is also looking to introduce a Friday film club.  On Tuesday mornings, Kaleidoscope is running a parent and toddler coffee morning from 10 am.

The cafe has a warm and friendly atmosphere and everyone is welcome.

Dr David Marjot, who was our Consultant for many years, has just written a book called 'The Diseases of Alcohol'.

Dr Marjot has been one of the leading lights in the field of alcohol misuse, as well as illicit drugs misuse. 

The book recalls his work in this field, and we would certainly recommend it.  It is published by Southern Universities Press (ISBN 978-0-9545805-8-2), and we are hoping to write a review in the near future.