Athlone man praises impact of project on his sobriety and health

John Francis Quinn from Athlone has praised the impact of the Stepping Out Programme on his sobriety and mental health. Mr Quinn joined the programme three months ago which has helped hundreds of people with wide-ranging needs relating to their drug or alcohol addictions, history of offending behaviours and poor education or lack of work experience. He said that he has a different outlook on life since starting the Stepping Out Programme and that it was “amazing” for him to learn new skills such as woodwork.

“It's given me so many avenues to work on my life, different things to do with my life every day,” said Mr Quinn.

The Athlone man added that his life was “full of addiction” before undertaking this programme but that he has now been sober for the past three months which is also the longest period that he has been sober in 15 years.

“The thing I can take away the most is my sobriety and what it's done for my sobriety and mental health,” said Mr Quinn of the programme.

He said that he spent a lot of time in prison but that he hasn't been in trouble with the law for the past ten years. “If I didn't have this, God knows where I'd be today, and that's on every level, drug use, everything. I'd be lost without Stepping Out.”

The programme has given Mr Quinn a purpose as he has something to get up in the morning for every day which has also improved his mental health. He said that before the programme he was taking a lot of medication for his mental health but added that his intake of medication for this has now dropped by 20/30%. “I'm so busy and I don't have time to be worrying now or thinking about mental health as much and that's had a massive effect on my mental health and medication,” stated Mr Quinn.

He said that his confidence has grown a lot and that he previously couldn't hold a conversation but that now he could talk to anyone. Mr Quinn added that he used to be quite shy but now says that he can talk to everyone and do various jobs.

Mr Quinn also applauded the work of the staff involved with the Stepping Out programme, saying that they're “amazing” people. “They're unbelievable. They make sure our mental health is always good and they look after us and they keep us busy. They're very caring people in my opinion.”

Mr Quinn was involved in the Stepping Out programme's recent presentation of handmade chess boards and chess pieces to all the local secondary schools. He worked on the woodburning on the sides of the chess boards, the grouting of the tiles and the painting of the chess pieces. The local man said that he found working on this project “relaxing” and “rewarding” because he knew that the students would appreciate the chess boards.

Stepping Out is a probation services funded vocational training programme based in Athlone. As part of the Restorative Justice stream of the programme every year the clients complete a project funded by Athlone Drug Awareness Group to give back to the community. Having noticed an upward trend for playing chess among young people the group decided to make chess boards and pieces for all the secondary schools in Westmeath.