As the world grew still, all people became isolated. Footprints supports people in contact with the Criminal Justice System in or returning to our community. We did not stop during the pandemic, continuing to offer a non-judgmental ear and building trust with people in our community.
*Names have been changed
Judy was referred to Footprints after she was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in a public space. She had just lost her Father suddenly, was suffering with alcohol dependency and had lost her connections to her family and friends due to Covid. She did not want to address her drinking or previous overdose on prescribed medication while intoxicated.
Judy was extremely guarded and distrustful of our support. Due to the lockdowns, Judy’s mentor could not meet her in person and had to rely on phone and email support. It took several weeks to gain Judy’s trust so we could begin addressing her issues. We supported Judy to recognise her actions and the events leading to her arrest. We encouraged her to keep a drink diary so she could better recognise her drinking habits. As a result, she reduced her consumption and changed her drinking patterns. We encouraged her to access a specialist grief counsellor to process her Father’s death and to reach out to her family.
While supporting her, Judy fell behind on her rent and was evicted from her place. She did not tell us she was struggling to pay her rent, but she did reach out when the eviction notice was issued. We helped her contact Shelter to register on the housing list, encouraged her to contact the job centre and to request direct rent payments to her landlord.
Now, Judy has greatly improved. She has changed her drinking patterns, swapped hard liquor for softer alcohol beverages and maintained periods of abstinence. Judy has rebuilt her relationships with her family. She has arranged the spreading of her Father’s ashes, bringing her one step closer to the closure she desperately needs.
We know times are hard for everyone. Keep your heads up, things will get better.
