Men showcase their skills at JADD Project

FIVE men showcased skills they learned at the JADD Project facility on Jobstown Road after they completed the pilot of the new ReHub programme.

The ReHub programme aims to help those who are working on their addiction issues with chances to gain skills at places of employment, and one person has even managed to get full-time work from engaging with the programme.

Frontline Bikes on Emmet Road in Inchicore and Kilnamanagh Men’s Shed, based out of the local Family Recreation Centre, invited the guys on the pilot recovery programme in to work, and taught them bike repair skills as well as handiwork such as the crafting of planters and wheelbarrows.

JADD Manager Tommy Gilson stated that the project is focused on helping those in recovery to move closer towards employment or further education.

Mr Gilson said: “The guys go to Frontline two days a week, to Kilnamanagh Men’s Shed for one day a week, and then they come to JADD where they engage in relapse prevention, check-ins, personal development modules or programmes.

“It’s a recovery programme – it’s really focused on supporting people to kind of make that step into employment or training and education.

“[The] night was about recognising the achievements of the guys. It’s a lot of work and a lot of effort and a lot of commitment to their recovery.

“So, we wanted to bring them together with their families, with their peers, their friends. Frontline Bikes and Kilnamanagh Men’s Shed had also attended and spoke on the evening about the relationship and how well the guys are doing.”

Those close to the five men involved were shown a presentation of the work they had undertaken, and also listened to personal testimonies.

The JADD Manager noted that some of those involved had “a long history of addiction problems” and that the completion of the programme was another step in the road to recovery.

He also stated his strong belief that the new upskilling-based programme deserves a permanent place within the Tallaght area.

“We strongly believe that there’s a need for it and there’s an opportunity in the Tallaght area to develop that type of recovery program. “

There is no other addiction treatment services providing that pathway into employment in terms of skills, and we believe that Tallaght has an opportunity here to do that, and there’s a real demand for it.

“That would be the vision of JADD to have their own facility in place for the Tallaght. So, we’re in Phase 1 which is the partnership phase and we hope Phase 2, the medium-to-longterm, there would be that recovery centre in the Tallaght area, providing those opportunities to people with substance use problems.”