Focus, one of the five agencies under the umbrella of the Council Partners, strives to help people with addiction problems improve their lives by renewing self esteem and gaining their high school or trade school diploma. The agency's mission is to provide a free support resource in the "back-of-town'' where many homeless and street people, in the throes of addiction have lost all hope. A free service dedicated to lower income groups, homeless people and ex-convicts, Focus was created in the spring of 1993 and was founded by assistant coordinator Mr. Jerry Griffiths and coordinator Ms Sandy Butterfield. The agency's goals are to intervene, assess and provide referral services as needed, to provide an "open door'' counselling and support service to those groups not inclined to reach out for help from formalised agencies and those with no personal support network, and to provide clients with educational resources and opportunities. "We try to help point people in the right direction,'' said Mr. Griffiths, noting that Focus teaches clients basic life and vocational skills. Mr. Griffiths and Ms Butterfield recognised a gap in the current "helping services'' system. And after the volunteers completed a two-year Addiction Research Foundation certification course at the Bermuda College in 1992, they used personal funds to get the Focus programme off the ground. "We started Focus by providing free personal counselling to clients at the Salvation Army shelter on North Street,'' said Mr. Griffiths.

This facility focuses on people who have "fallen through the cracks'' of the social system and at least 80 individuals sleep at any given time at the Shelter. But even though the Salvation Army provides many of these people with meals and shelter, the organisation is not structured to provide such people with tutoring and counselling services. Focus, however, fills the gap by encouraging positive attitudes, positive life skills and effective strategies to deal with and conquer complex alcohol and other drug issues. The agency has now moved to the Metropolitan Building on Union Street in Hamilton, said Mr.

Griffiths, adding that many clients feel out of place in a formalised treatment agency and moving to Union Street helps them feel more comfortable.

"Due to the stigma attached to addiction, many people won't even come to us, so I'll go to them,'' said Mr. Griffiths. "We call ourselves the Focus family,'' he said, noting that clients partake in group sessions as well as individual counselling. Focus, a registered charity, provides a tutoring service in academic subjects including mathematics, English and basic computer training, which helps prepare people for their GED or General Education Diploma -- the equivalent of a high school diploma. Said Mr. Griffiths: "We're mainly here for the underprivileged but no one will be turned down. If people do have funds, however, and they want to pay, we ask them to donate money to the Council Partners.'' Focus has volunteer teachers to help with the academic programme, noted Mr. Griffiths, adding that many Focus clients are very limited in their education. "They don't feel good about it so we try to keep a very caring and loving environment,'' he said. Many Focus clients relapse as do a high percentage of drug addicts and they stop going to the programme. But often they will return a few months later, said Mr. Griffiths.

"We've had some major successes,'' he said, noting that five `alumni' have gone on to college. "Some people are very clever -- all they need to do is build their confidence.'' Focus caters to both male and female students aged 15 to 50 and over. Most of them are crack/cocaine and alcohol addicts. But the Focus counselling and support services help them to understand their disease and move toward a healthier and more productive lifestyle. "We help them to see the light at the end of the tunnel,'' said Mr. Griffiths. "We try to create an atmosphere of hope and trust -- one where they will want to work.'' Clients as well as family members and friends are also offered a 24 hour support hot line, which provides them with up-to-date information on drug use and abuse as well as someone to talk to when needed. PHOTO FOCUSED ON FOCUS -- Coordinator of Focus, Mr. Jerry Griffiths is dedicated to helping impoverished substance abusers get their life back.

BEHIND BARS -- Drug addicts will do anything to get their next `fix'. They lie and steal and before long, they get in trouble with the law. Don't let drugs take over your life.

THE MORGUE -- You may not only lose control of your behaviour to an addiction, but your life. Say no to drugs.