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We want you to feel safe and be able to talk openly about things when you meet with your worker. Is it safe to talk? Confidentiality We want you to feel safe and be able to talk openly about things when you meet with your worker! You have a right to a confidential service and to disagree with us. It is important for you to know that we do not share the information you give us unless we have your permission. In very exceptional circumstances we may have to disclose information. This means we will only pass on information if we believe there is a risk of you or someone else suffering serious harm or a serious crime is planned or has been committed. Data Protection Everyone who sees a Matthew Project worker for support will have information about them held on our computer system. How do you keep the information about me safe? Your file is password protected with additional security features. Your file might contain sensitive and personal information including details of the work we do with you. If we fill in anything on paper, this will be scanned onto a computer and shredded. What will be put in my file? It will contain the things you tell us about yourself and may have information that other people tell us about you, such as forms filled in by other professionals (e.g. school, children services). We only record relevant information. Why do you do this? We record information so that staff can make good decisions about the kind of support we offer you and to make sure you get all of the help you need. We also need to be able to explain and prove that we have been working well with you. Who sees the information? Matthew Project staff can see the information about you. They will only look at it if they are working with you or your family. Can I see the information you have about me? Yes, you have the right to ask us for copies of your personal data. If you want to access your information, you can do this face-to-face, by email, on the telephone or by letter. We will respond within one month. The Data Protection Law is in place to ensure we use your personal data lawfully and keep it safe. For more information, please visit - matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/privacy-info Sharing Info With your permission, we will collect information for local and national statistics for our funders and to help plan our services. We will only use your personal information with your consent and only for the purposes it was collected for. We will keep personal information confidential and will not disclose it to any third party without your consent, unless we are obliged to do so by law, or it is necessary due to your or someone else’s safety. We will always try to talk with you before sharing this information although this may not always be possible or appropriate. Compliments and Complaints If you would like to make any comments about The Matthew Project or tell us about something we have done well, please contact us. We hope to give you the best service possible but sometimes problems may arise. We aim to deal with your compliant in a way which will put things right and stop problems from being avoided or covered up. If you complain it will not be held against you in the future. You will be listened to and your complaint will be confidential. We will try and deal with complaints on an informal basis by chatting through the problem. You can call your worker or another staff member by phoning 0800 970 4866. If this does not resolve the problem/issue, or is not suitable you can make a formal complaint. Making a Formal Complaint You will be asked to write your complaint down in an email, someone can help you with the writing if you want. You must complain within 3 months of the problem happening. We will explain to you how we will follow up your compliant.

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See frequently asked questions about our service and what we do. Frequently Asked Questions How do I get support for someone I know/myself? Anyone can get in touch with us to make a referral. This could be a parent, carer or professional or you. If you want to refer yourself or someone you know, you can do this by going to our contact us page to chat with a member of the team in the most accessible way for you. Contact Us What happens when I get referred? We will contact you, or the person referring you and arrange to come and meet, in a place you feel comfortable. What happens if I change my mind? Just let us, or the person who referred you know. Our support is totally voluntary. We understand that people change their minds. You are always welcome to come back. Will you tell other people what I have said? We offer a confidential service. Confidentiality means us not telling anyone else about the things you tell us, we will talk to you about who you are comfortable with us talking to. Sometimes your parents, carers or teachers may be aware that you have been referred to us, particularly if you chose to see us at your school or home, this does not mean we will tell them everything that you tell us, we will discuss this with you and agree what information YOU feel comfortable sharing. If there’s a risk of very serious harm to you, or someone else, we may need to share some of what you have told us, we will try and talk to you and let you know what might happen next. Will you tell me to stop using drugs/alcohol? No we understand this is your choice and people use substances for a variety of reasons. We are not here to judge you, or tell you what to do, we will support you to decide what you want from the support. Do you have to tell my parents that I am working with you? If you are over 13 and we feel you understand what it means to get support from us, we do not need to tell your parents that we are supporting you. If you are under 13, we do need to get consent from your parent or carer to be able to offer you support. This doesn’t mean we will tell them what we talk about with you. Will I get into trouble? We will not share the information you tell us unless we are extremely worried for your safety, our aim would be to keep you safe not for you to get into trouble. How long can you work with people? For the YouCan and Unity service. Our support is not time limited we can continue to support you for as long as you feel you need the support. We can see you weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, depending on what works best for you. For On Track, there are sometimes time limits depending on the service. Contact On Track's for more details. Is there a waiting list? We do have at times a waiting list but we will be in contact within 2 weeks and will always keep you updated of when a meeting will be booked. Can I see you in school? Yes we can come and meet you in a place you feel comfortable this could be at home, school, college, wherever you feel comfortable. Can I talk to you about other stuff? Yes we understand that drug or alcohol issues can be one of the issues you are facing, we will complete an assessment with you that will look at what other support may be useful, this could include mental and physical health, housing, education and relationship advice. Will there be a change in worker? We try not to change your worker, we know it can be difficult when one of our workers leave, if we have to change you to a new worker, we will ask you what kind of person you would feel most comfortable with and try and match you with one of our workers. Can I bring someone with me? Yes we understand it can be a big step meeting someone new. My parents/carers don't drive, how do I get to you? We come to you! We can meet you in a location you feel comfortable such as school and for our holiday activities we can arrange transport so you can attend.

Contains information on our safety, privacy and safeguarding policies along with how we handle confidentiality. Privacy & Safety Info Confidentiality Worried about speaking with us? We get it - talking about topics that may be personal to you such as drugs or alcohol can feel risky. We’re here to help, not get you in trouble. What you tell us stays private, unless we believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, or a serious crime is involved. Your worker at The Matthew Project will explain this to you when you first meet with them. Examples of where we may need to share information: Someone is being abused. There is a serious threat to your life or safety. Examples of where we wouldn’t need to share information: You’ve been using drugs or alcohol. You’re worried about how substance use is affecting you. Contacting us When you contact us, we will listen without judging and explain our confidentiality policy. We may ask you questions so we can explore your needs and provide you with the best support. Any information we record will be confidential and stored securely. We will only share information about you when we think that you or someone else is at significant risk of harm. You can see our Online Safety Policy here , and our Safeguarding Policy here . When you contact us the information we collect from you will depend on why you have contacted us, what you are comfortable sharing and what action you would like us to take. Advice line call information will be stored securely, detailing the date/time of the call and the reason for the call. We will not keep your name or contact details unless you have asked us to contact you back. We will only keep data for as long as is necessary. Privacy We take your privacy very seriously. Before you start chatting with us, we will ask you to read our information, so you understand what this means for you and when we may have to share your information. If you follow any links to any other website, you will no longer be subject to our privacy terms. What is Data Protection? The Data Protection Law is in place to make sure that we use your personal data lawfully and keep it safe. If you have any questions relating to GDPR/Data protection, please email dataprotection@matthewproject.org . You can see our Data Protection Procedure for more information. You can see our Privacy Policy here . Consent By starting a Chat, you will be consenting to us having information about you. You can withdraw your consent at any point by telling the worker, or by emailing us at unity@matthewproject.org What Information we collect and who will see it. We use your information to provide you with the support you have requested. There may be times where sharing information is helpful, for example, if we have serious concern for your safety or the safety of someone else. When you use our Online Chat, we will save your IP address and details about why you have contacted us. We will keep a Transcript (a written record) of conversations between you and our workers. Your full information will only be seen by our staff unless we have a serious concern for your safety or the safety of others. Anonymised data collected from our Online Chat or website may be used to provide statistical data for our funders. No personal details will be shared. Keeping your Information Safe We do all we can to keep the information we hold about you safe, please read our Privacy Notice. We use other companies to provide services for us, we ensure that these providers meet all legal requirements in line with GDPR guidance Data protection laws. Our website is provided by WIX https://support.wix.com/en/article/wixs-privacy-policy who process all the data collected from people who visit our website, including our ‘Contact us’ forms. Comms 100 provide our Online Chat https://www.comm100.com/platform/security/ Chat transcripts will stored securely and kept by us for a period of three months, they will then be automatically deleted. If there are safeguarding concerns in a chat transcript, these will be kept in a separate folder of the Unity chat email inbox for 12 months. Any safeguarding concerns will be shared with our safeguarding Managers and may be shared with other services if required. They will automatically be deleted after 12 months unless they are part of an ongoing investigation. If you are already accessing support from Unity and you would like your chat to be saved to your record, or a message passed to your worker, we may need to ask you a few questions to confirm your identity. Your Rights - Right of Access/What to do if your Info is Wrong You have the right to ask for a copy of the information we hold about you. If you want to access your information, send a description of the information you want to see and proof of your identity by post to The Matthew Project, 70-80 Oak Street, Norwich NR3 3AQ. We do not accept these requests by email, so we can ensure that we only provide personal information to the right person. If any if this information is wrong, let us know and we will correct it. If you have any questions, please contact our Support Team on 01603 626123 or enquiries@matthewproject.org. Essential Cookies Like most websites, we may use ‘cookies’ to help us make our site, and the way you use it, better. Cookies are small text files that sites transfer to your device (computer, phone or tablet) and make interacting with a website faster and easier. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

Resources to help inform you and keep you safe around drug and alcohol use. Resources Substances Information Click the buttons below to learn more about different substances. Click Here Ketamine Cannabis MDMA Alcohol Cocaine Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Assembly Video The assembly video explores common myths around alcohol and cannabis, and shares information about our services for under-19s in Norfolk who are affected by substance use, whether their own or that of a family member. You can view the video below: Assembly Video_V0.4 Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Here you can find resources for other sites, helplines and more. If you know of any resources that you think would be helpful to add to the list, please contact us via email. Details can be found here . Important Notice In an emergency situation, or if you feel you, or another person is at risk of immediate harm, call 999 for urgent support from police, fire or medical services. You can also access non-urgent police support by calling 101 and non-urgent medical advice by calling 111. (*) Asterisk marked resources will take you to an external page not monitored by us. While we check these sites to make sure they are secure, we are not responsible for any information collected by/or given to them. Drug & Alcohol Information and Support CGL* Support for those affected by, or using, substances who are over 19yrs. Number: 01603 514 096 More Info Talk to Frank* Information about drugs, their effects and the law. More Info NACOA* For children of problematic drinkers. Chat advisers are available. Number: 0800 358 3456 More Info Alcohol Education* Supports parents, carers, teachers and community leaders to keep young people safe around substances. More Info Drug Wise* Promotes evidence-based information on drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Not for individual support, just information. More Info Other Helplines & Websites Childline* Call 0800 11 11 for support or help for children aged under 19. More Info Kooth* Online wellbeing community. Free, safe and anonymous online support and counselling. More Info CEOP* Provide information and advice on how to keep children and young people safe online. More Info YESS Norfolk* Supports young people aged 10 – 18 across Norfolk recognising that young people are experts in their own lives. More Info Samaritans* Call 116 123 for support and awareness around suicide. More Info Young Minds* Young people and children's mental health charity. Has a 24/7 crisis text support at: 85258 More Info The Mix* Helps with mental health, money, homelessness, finding work, breakups and more. More Info SHOUT* Text SHOUT to 85258 for wellbeing support 24/7. More Info First Response* Urgent 24/7 mental health support service for Norfolk and Suffolk. Number: 111 (Option 2) More Info Norfolk FYI* Trusted help, advice and information for 11 to 24 year olds around their health/wellbeing. More Info Family Support / Concerned Others Family Lives* Parenting Support 24/7. Parent line on 0808 800 22 22. More Info Just One Norfolk* Local support for young people, parents and professionals. Parent Line: 0300 300 0123 / 07520 631 590. More Info ADFAM* Support for family members affected by drug and alcohol issues. More Info

Information to help parents and careres who have a child struggling with drugs/alcohol or is affected by family use. Parents/Carers Info A little about us We are a Norfolk charity that provide a free confidential service to young people up to 19. These young people can be using substances themselves (we refer to this as Substance Misuse) or that have a parent, carer or sibling thats using substances that could be affecting them (we refer to this as Affected Other). Worried your child is an Affected Other? If your worried that your own, a relatives or other childs substance use could be affecting one of your children, we can support them. Support Worried about your child's drug/alcohol use? If you're struggling with a young person's substance use, we're here to help. You are not alone - drugs and alcohol can impact the entire family. Support Support for you We can provide support to parents who are worried about their child's substance misuse. This can include virtual group sessions, focusing on the exploration of family dynamics, boundaries, consequences and the development of support networks. The Matthew Project run a parent/carer support group which runs monthly and provides a chance to meet other parents of under 19's who are experiencing similar difficulties. The groups aims are to help deal with the worries and stresses faced while providing strategies to help you to cope and deal with the challenges that often arise. The parent support group takes place 19:00 - 21:00 at 70 - 80 Oak St, Norwich, NR3 3AQ. Booking is essential. The referral form for the parent/carer group is below. For more information, please email: unity@matthewproject.org Referral Form Parent FAQ's Further Tips & Advice Contact Us The Matthew Project supports adults in addiction recovery through structured programs, skills training, therapeutic group sessions, and one-to-one support. The Matthew Project Change Grow Live (CGL) offer support for adults affected by someone else’s substance use and supports adults who are struggling with their own substance misuse. CGL's Website “When shut out of your son’s life, and all doors seemed closed, The Matthew Project opened theirs. A big thank you. As a parent I was desperate, how must my son feel?” Anonymous Parent/Carer

Information Collecting and Sharing This information on this page is about the information we collect and who has access to your data. We ask you for information so that you can recieve proper care and threatment We keep your information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again. What NDTMS is and does: NDTMS is the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS). It is used by PHE to collect information about drug and alcohol treatment in England. If you consent, your treatment service will share some of your treatment information with NDTMS.

We can be contacted Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The only exclusion to this is our live chat which runs Monday to Thursday, 4pm to 7pm. Our Number: 0800 970 4866 Our Email: Unity@matthewproject.org Contact Info Say Hello We will only ask for information you are happy to share but if you would like to be referred we will need to ask extra. Phone YouCan - 0800 970 4866 Unity - 0800 970 4866 On Track - 01603 723845 Email youcan@matthewproject.org unity@matthewproject.org contact@ontracknorfolk.org Social Media Name Phone Email Message Send Thanks for submitting! Live Chat Live chat currently runs from: Monday to Thursday, 4 pm to 7pm (excluding the 27th and 28th of December, where it will be 9am - 5pm) and is for 13yrs or older only. If you are under 13 and would like to talk to someone, please contact Childline on 0800 11 11. If you are over 19, please contact CGL on 01603 514 096. The Live Chat does not run on Bank Holidays. To access the live chat, click on the orange circle on the bottom right-hand side of your screen. This is a confidential service for young people with issues or questions around drugs and alcohol. This is not a crisis helpline. If you require urgent help, please call Childline on the number above or 999. This chat is with real human beings, not an AI or a bot. Visit Us We know it can be daunting going to a new place for the first time and meeting one of our team. This is why we cover all of norfolk and can travel to meet you in a location you feel comfortable in. While we welcome people to visit our centre, we ask that you contact us ahead of time so we can make sure there is a member of our team available to meet you. Address 70 - 80 Oak Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 3AQ Opening Hours Mon - Thu Fri 9:00 am – 5:00 pm 9:00 am – 4:30 pm This is our reception!

What you should know about Cannabis This page will talk you through the myths surrounding cannabis and how it impacts different parts of your brain. Young people helped create this page, working alongside the Unity service . Therefore, the stories featured relate specifically to Norfolk. Endocannabinoid System and the brain Your brain is made up of billions of cells that send messages to each other all the time. These messages help control how your body works and how you think , feel , and act . You also have something called the endocannabinoid system. It's part of your body that helps keep everything balanced, like your mood, memory, appetite, and even how you feel pain. It works by making natural chemicals called cannabinoids , which attach to tiny spots on your brain cells called receptors . These natural cannabinoids help your brain cells turn "up " or "down " activity in different parts of the brain, depending on what your body needs . This system works smoothly on its own. Helping you feel and function normally . What happens when you use cannabis (get high)? When we use cannabis, we flood our brains with extra cannabinoids . Cannabinoids like THC are not the same as those our bodies make but are similar enough to bind to our receptors. This throws the endocannabinoid system out of balance , which is what causes the "high ". When you use cannabis regularly , your brain gets used to the extra cannabinoids and tries to adapt . This means you'll need more cannabis to feel the same effect (that's called tolerance ). If you stop using, your body can struggle to find it's balance again. That's why people sometimes get withdrawal symptoms , like: Headaches, chills, sweating or stomach pain Feeling moody, angry, anxious or down Trouble sleeping Not feeling hungry Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) can happen to people who use cannabis a lot over a long time . It causes nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain that can come and go. The exact reason it happens isn’t fully known and the only way to get better is to stop using cannabis. The symptoms usually go away after quitting, but it can take weeks or months to feel completely normal again. How cannabis affects different parts of your brain Hover over the boxes below to see more details. Motivation and pleasure (Nucleus Accumbens) Cannabis can make things feel funnier or more interesting than usual. Decision making & thinking (Neocortex) Cannabis can make it harder to focus, think clearly, or make good decisions. Cannabis can make it harder to remember things or make new memories. Memory (Hippocampus) Movement planning (Basal Ganglia) Cannabis can make your reactions slow down. Cannabis may make you feel clumsier or less in control of your movements. Coordination and Balance (Cerebellum) Cannabis might make you feel extra hungry (aka “the munchies”). Hunger control (Hypothalamus) Pain and body functions (Brain Stem & Spine) Cannabis can reduce pain and stop you from feeling like you need to be sick. Stress emotions - fight or flight (Amygdala) Cannabis may make you feel anxious, paranoid or panicky. Drawings by Sam Pearson. Myths Below are some myths about cannabis that we hear often from young people. Hover over the myth to see the truth. “Cannabis isn’t harmful, it’s natural, so it’s fine.” Cannabis can cause harm, especially for young people under the age of 25 because your brain is still developing. It can affect your memory, motivation, and mood and in some cases, it can lead to anxiety, paranoia or worsen mental health. Some people develop a dependency where they feel they must use it every day and get withdrawal symptoms when they stop such as low mood, sleep problems, feeling irritable, loss of appetite or problems regulating your body temperature. Myth 1 “Cannabis helps everyone chill out.” While it might relax some people in the in the short term, it can make anxiety worse for others, and long-term use can impact motivation and mental health. Myth 2 “Cannabis is legal if you have a small amount on you for personal use" Cannabis is not legal in the UK, even if you only have a small amount for personal use. It is classed as a Class B drug, and being caught with it can still get you into trouble and the police will confiscate it. You could receive a police caution, be arrested or have a criminal record. For under 18’s, the police are allowed to tell your parent/carers that you’ve been caught with drugs. Myth 3 “It’s fine to drive after using cannabis. It doesn’t affect you like alcohol does.” Driving high is dangerous and illegal. Cannabis can seriously impair your reaction time, focus, coordination, and ability to judge distance and speed. That means if you get into a car with someone who has used cannabis, even if they feel okay, their brain and body aren’t working at full capacity. This could lead to a crash that harms you, your friends, or someone else. Myth 4 THC Vapes THC vapes are vapes or e-cigarettes that contain THC or THC-like substances. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis - it's what causes the "high." These devices are designed to heat cannabis concentrates that contain THC, turning them into an inhalable vapour. Vaping THC may produce faster and stronger highs compared to smoking the same amount, this can increase the chance of adverse effects , such as anxiety, paranoia, dizziness and nausea. THC vapes and liquids are illegal and unregulated . Pure THC oil can be expensive so dealers may dilute or replace THC oil with the cheaper substances such as synthetic cannabinoids (spice) or synthetic opioids (nitazenes) and additives which can be extremely harmful, heavy metals, and oils ). Metals and particles inhaled into the lungs cause inflammation and long-term harm - there is no quality control or lab testing. Psychotic disorders linked to THC use: Frequent high dose use particularly in young people and those genetically predisposed is linked to a higher risk of psychotic disorders. The risk of psychotic disorders developing increases with how young the user is, frequency of use and potency of THC. Acute psychotic episodes - short term hallucinations, delusion, paranoia, or disorganized thinking while under the influence of cannabis or during withdrawals. Cannabis-induced psychotic disorder (CIPD) - a diagnosis when psychotic symptoms occur during or shortly after cannabis use that can’t be explained by another condition. Increased risk of developing schizophrenia or persistent psychotic disorders - in individuals with a genetic predisposition or certain environmental risk factors. Stay Safe Tips For You and Your Mates If you decide to use cannabis, it’s important to know there are always risks . The only way to completely avoid these risks is to not use cannabis. But if you do decide to use it, keep these tips in mind: Holding cannabis smoke in your lungs does not get you any higher. THC is absorbed quickly in the lungs, holding smoke in only increases the amount of tar and other harmful chemicals retained in the lungs. Cannabis comes in varying strains and strengths so your experience on cannabis can differ each time you use. Start by using a small amount and wait for the effects to kick in before deciding whether to use more. Avoid using cannabis when you are feeling low or stressed. Cannabis may provide a short-term relief , but after the effects wear off you may end up feeling anxious or paranoid. Regular cannabis use can impact sleep and appetite. At first, it might seem to help you relax, fall asleep, or increase appetite. Over time your brain adjusts by reducing the sensitivity of its cannabinoid receptors. This leads to tolerance - you need more cannabis to get the same effects, when you stop, you might experience trouble sleeping or loss of appetite until your body readjusts. Take regular breaks from using as the habit can build and form quickly . These breaks can reduce tolerance and reliance on the substance. If you find this difficult then it may be a good time to reach out for support . Do not mix with other drugs as this can negatively impact your experience, intensify side effects and increase the risk of you coming to harm. Mixing cannabis with alcohol increases the chances of “spinning out” and vomiting. Regularly clean out any bongs or paraphernalia. These can be breeding grounds for bacteria if not properly looked after. Young People's Stories Hear from young people in our service about the impact of Cannabis use on their life. Young person - 1 “I first started smoking weed when I was 13 because me and my best friend wanted to experience what it was like to be “high”. It made me feel really chilled out, i found things extra funny and food tasted 10x better. It was so fun I started doing it more often, it went from doing it once a month to most days after college or at the weekends. It is hard to quit as nearly all of my friends smoke weed. If it’s offered to me, the thought of a couple hours of relaxation - no stress, no responsibilities - makes it easy to say yes. Being out with friends and smoking made me forget my pressures and struggles for a while. However, the high came with downsides: I would become paranoid about getting caught and lost all motivation for school work and life responsibilities. I didn’t realise I had a problem until I started wanting to be high all the time. It was a temporary escape from my stresses, college and worries about my future. However these stresses only built up as I avoided them with drugs. I decided to find support once I got caught various times with weed. I was ruining family relationships and finding it harder to get things done in life. My life had become a mess and the relaxation I got from weed became less fun and more stressful. If you are dealing with cannabis addiction I advise spending time with people who don’t use drugs. Being with my friends who wanted to purely spend time together and laugh - not passing round a joint the whole time - was so refreshing. I began to remember the life I used to love before drugs. The hobbies i found fun in and the life experiences Id missed out on through spending my life around drugs.” Cannabis Website Video (1) Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Video Prefer watching instead of reading? Check out this short video about Cannabis to see how it affects people and get the facts you need. Cannabis - Respect Your Brain Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied About The Matthew Project If you’re under 19 and using ketamine or other substances, our Unity service is here to support you. You won’t get in trouble for reaching out. Click the button below to learn more about the Unity service. If you are 19 or over, you will need to contact Change Grow Live. Unity Service

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