A recent independent review by Dame Carol Black revealed the fragmentation and funding pressures within the drug and alcohol treatment system in England and Wales. In response, in 2022, Kent County Council (KCC) commissioned a report to understand the barriers to accessing drug and alcohol services in the region, and identified misconceptions amongst Kent residents about what treatment and recovery programmes were available. Through research, KCC discovered its own website was a barrier to people in need of treatment and recovery services because of unclear signposting and messaging.

Community drug and alcohol services commissioned by KCC are delivered by three service providers: Change Grow Live, Forward Trust, and We Are With You. It's a complex landscape and we've been tasked to ensure each service sits beneath branding immediately recognisable as the Kent drug and alcohol service, while making it clear how users can access the support they need.

'This is our area of expertise,' explains ThreeTenSeven MD, Rachel Cook. 'Bringing user-led insights to the centre to create clear positioning and messaging, proven to change behaviours and provide measurable returns. In this case, our work will help increase uptake in the drug and alcohol support services KCC provides.'

While the project is intended to improve visibility for available treatment and recovery services, a key objective is to dispel current stigmas around individuals with substance-use challenges and encourage them into treatment programmes.

'We want to help unravel the stereotypes that stigmatise drug and alcohol misuse which prevent services users - particularly women and some ethnic minority groups - from getting the care they need,' continues Rachel Cook. 'By working directly with clients of these services, we hope to creatively communicate lived experiences and voices to elevate the platforms available to those who will benefit the most from them'.