Amy’s Place’, a rehabilitation centre for young women, is one of only a few projects in the UK bridging the gap between addiction treatment and reintegration into society
Eight years after her passing, the all-female recovery housing project founded in honour of Amy Winehouse has won a Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Award for its work combatting addiction.
The prize, presented on Tuesday evening at a prestigious venue in Central London, includes a £10,000 grant and promotion of the organisation’s vital work before an audience of influential politicians, journalists and philanthropists.
‘Amy’s Place’ is a recovery house specifically for young women aged 18 to 30 who are overcoming drug and alcohol addiction. After they leave, it provides a place where they can live and spend time learning the life skills they need to re-adapt into society and maintain their recovery.
It addresses the special needs of women who have struggled with substance misuse, which are often more complex than their male counterparts. Women in recovery are often overcoming histories of abuse and trauma and need a safe place to recover before embarking on a new life.
Research shows that women have a far greater chance of relapse without this kind of support.
The Amy Winehouse Foundation works with Centra Care and Support, part of Clarion Housing Group, to provide Amy’s Place. Situated in East London, the house offers temporary homes for up to sixteen young women at a time.
Each lives in a self-contained apartment and is supported using a co-production model, which means that they share in the design and control over the services that aid their recovery.
Founded in 2011, the charity hopes to eventually expand its outreach and assistance to young women suffering from addiction across the UK.
