The Recovery Oriented Employment Services (ROES) Program integrates recovery support with vocational tools for recoverees in the Richmond areas. ROES is an approach to helping individuals in early recovery from alcohol or other drugs find employment. The seven week curriculum infuses recovery principles into vocational training and offers volunteer opportunities at the SAARA Center for Recovery.

SAARA Centers ROES Curriculum, Recovery Works, is based on a seven module open-ended training designed to allow individuals to rotate in and out of the modules. ROES recoverees complete evaluation forms consisting of fill-in and multiple choice questions after each module. These evaluations confirm the success of the trainings.

Module One: Financial Basics and Time Management
Things recoverees learned from Module One Training are how to budget funds correctly, about living and fixed expenses, the difference between internal and external motivators for reaching goals, and how to make good use of time.

Module Two: Employment Risks for Early Recovery
Things recoverees learned from Module Two Training were to be more confident, recovery thinking, control attitude, learned to acknowledge self, triggers one may encounter at work, to be more assertive and say no, self knowledge, and saying things in a positive way.

Module Three: Transferable Skills and Resume Development
Things recoverees learned from Module Three Training were how to prepare an employment application, better ways to write a resume, how different wording can sound more effective, action verbs, looking at one's self, acknowledging skills, and they do have qualifications that can be used in the workplace.

Module Four: Cover Letter & Job Search Strategies
Things recoverees learned from Module Four Training are how to search internet for jobs, that it is OK to call employers to follow up, they should always dress the part, cover letter should match resume heading, cover letter should highlight past responsibilities, how to do follow up letter, template for cover letters, snag-a-job website and posting resume on-line.

Module Five: Interview Skills
Things recoverees learned from Module Five Training are thank you letter, how to speak to employers, how to handle criminal history, ways to word past mistakes, to make sure they know their record, how to talk and what questions to ask at an interview, closing the interview, to send a thank you letter, and how to put their talents into a sentence.

Module Six: Recovery Thinking into Workplace Ethics
Things recoverees learned from Module Six Training are personal value beliefs and actions, how values shape their lives, work and career values for success, to look inside themselves, their qualities to offer in the work place, and think about situations before acting.

Module Seven: Common Work Challenges
Things recoverees learned from Module Seven Training were how to resolve conflict, express feelings, communicate in work environments, frame issues, different ways to communicate, and control feelings to handle conflicts.

Recovery Friendly Business Coalition Resources for Print (link to pdf format)
Fostering Recovery and a Drug Free Workplace marketing flyer
Connecticut Department of Labor "Recovery Friendly Designation" directions.
(For employers to list job announcements free of charge on the Dept. of Labor website).

For more information, please contact:
Doug Fleming, ROES Coordinator,
306 Turner Road, Richmond, Virginia
Direct phone: 804.762.4445
Email Doug Fleming