• Safe place to socialize – Participants in Recovery Support Services know they have a safe place to socialize with others who are also in recovery. This gives them a sense of belonging, of community, and a pressure-free opportunity to interact with others.
• Sharing personal stories and problem solving – Group support activities often have an educational component as well. During such group interaction, peers have the opportunity to share personal stories as well as solve problems.
• Learn new skills – Members can be referred to outside experts to demonstrate and teach new skill sets. The range of skills may include credit counseling, how to budget and manage finances, job skills training, how to prevent relapse, and effective conflict resolution.
• Place to practice new social skills – Recovery support groups offer participants a nonthreatening environment in which to practice some of the new social skills they have learned.
• Providing service to others – It’s common for participants in recovery groups to want to give back to the community, to help others as they have been helped. After all, the peer group leader is someone who has also been in recovery – and chose to help others. This example inspires many group participants to do likewise. Most often they work as volunteers in providing recovery support services.
• Services available at different stages of recovery – The adaptability of recovery support services is that they are available at different stages of the recovery process. Such services may precede a person’s entering into treatment, and may facilitate or motivate the individual’s desire to change. Recovery Support Services may accompany treatment, thus providing a connection to the community during treatment. Services may follow treatment, offering better relapse prevention. Many people who do not enter treatment because they cannot afford it or do not wish to can benefit themselves with Recovery Support Services.
• Leadership development – During participation in recovery support groups, members are also building upon their leadership ability. This gives them a foundation to be able to help others by either directing the service program or by providing support to their peers.
• Promotion of shared values – Self-direction, empowerment, choice, giving back to others, keeping recovery first, being a leader, participating, being authentic, and including all cultures are shared values that are promoted during peer recovery support services.
• Always available – Recovery Support Services are one means of providing an invaluable, continuously available support following treatment. This safety net for individuals who have completed treatment helps them in their goal to remain in recovery and begin the necessary steps to achieve their dreams.

The Alumni Support offers this much needed service at when someone is getting close to completing their program and continues after their program has been completed. For more information, contact Alumni Support at (907) 793-3433.

A recovery-minded community that enjoys physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.