Phoenix Futures

Phoenix Futures Phoenix Futures is a charity and housing association providing services for people affected by substance use We expanded and opened more houses in the 1980s.

The UK's first 'Phoenix House' opened its doors in London in 1969, offering Therapeutic Community (TC) based residential rehabilitation. Throughout the 1970s the Phoenix House TC programme adapted and modernised, becoming less rigid and adding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based group work to the programme. In the early 1990s, a large increase in funding for the substance use field focussed on HIV prevention. Many of the resulting services were harm reduction based. The first shift in approach came with the opening of the Fountain Project in 1994, an HIV/AIDS palliative care unit in South London. This service took clients on methadone prescriptions for the duration of their stay. From this point on the organisation began to embrace services for people who were trying to abstain, but were not quite at the point of actually achieving it. As these abstinence-oriented services expanded we won prison contracts where the goal of treatment was abstinence but the clients themselves were more ambivalent. As we developed more Tier 3 structured day services, commissioners increasingly asked us to add open access or Tier 2 elements to our provision. Initially, we embraced Tier 2 work that provided open access/entry points to the treatment system. With good services and strong local leadership we expanded into harm reduction. This has become the third stage of the organisation's evolution, so that we now deliver abstinence based, abstinence oriented and harm reduction services. We have always believed that people who use our services are individuals and that the recovery process for each person is different. We will use whatever interventions and models of service delivery help them along their personal path of recovery. As one of the most diverse substance use organisations in the UK we take pride in our ability to support changed lives from the street through to resettlement.

27/02/2026

Collective Voice Women’s Treatment Working Group Webinar
Wednesday 11th March, 12.00pm - 1.15pm
Sign up here: https://zurl.co/O7y8K

Give to Gain: When women are heard, everyone benefits.
How women are shaping our residential detox and rehab services and what this means for the future.

Residential detox and rehab are often the point at which women experiencing the greatest levels of marginalisation come into contact with treatment services. Many women arrive carrying intersecting experiences of trauma, stigma, poverty, racism, homelessness, criminalisation, motherhood and loss. Their voices are shaping not only how we deliver current services, but how we develop and deliver what doesn’t currently exist, filling key gaps in provision.

This webinar focuses on residential detox and rehab services, bringing together women across our sector to discuss:

- Amplifying the voice of marginalised women. We will explore how current and future residential services are evolving and the key role that women’s voices are playing in this.

- The unique opportunity for role modelling in residential services. We will reflect on what effective role modelling looks like at every level and the difference that it makes, hearing from women with experience of residential services.

- How we can support the changes that are happening and needed. We will explore the different ways in which we can support our residential services and continue to amplify the voices of women who have been marginalised.

Wednesday 11th March, 12.00pm - 1.15pm, sign up here: https://zurl.co/O7y8K

66% of our residents come from the lowest‑income third of the UK population — a stark reminder of how closely poverty an...
27/02/2026

66% of our residents come from the lowest‑income third of the UK population — a stark reminder of how closely poverty and substance use are linked.

Read the full story, link in our bio.
https://zurl.co/uAXD4

Scott completed his time in our Glasgow residential service over a year ago. 18 months on, he’s working toward his own a...
25/02/2026

Scott completed his time in our Glasgow residential service over a year ago. 18 months on, he’s working toward his own accommodation and rebuilding a life that once felt impossible.

His journey reflects what our Footprints Residential Survey highlights: many people coming into treatment have faced deep, long-term challenges shaped by early experiences of loss, instability and exclusion.

"I wish people would stop judging and stigmatising. Many people who use drugs or alcohol have been through trauma; adding more stigma only adds to their pain. You don’t know what has led someone to that point"

Read Scott's story: https://zurl.co/B8xgc

Megan shares how early trauma, unsafe housing and growing dependency shaped her life, and what our latest data reveals a...
24/02/2026

Megan shares how early trauma, unsafe housing and growing dependency shaped her life, and what our latest data reveals about the challenges people face today. From rising substance costs to shifts in benefits and housing, the picture is changing fast.

Read the full story and findings, link in Bio.
https://zurl.co/RnzGr

Scott reflects on how early experiences shaped his sense of belonging, while our latest findings highlight the deep link...
19/02/2026

Scott reflects on how early experiences shaped his sense of belonging, while our latest findings highlight the deep links between poverty, opportunity and people’s ability to move forward. The data shows striking differences in outcomes depending on income, resources and support.

Read the full story and data, link in Bio.
https://zurl.co/guUz3

Wishing everyone a peaceful and blessed Ramadan. May this month bring reflection, compassion and a sense of togetherness...
18/02/2026

Wishing everyone a peaceful and blessed Ramadan. May this month bring reflection, compassion and a sense of togetherness to all who are observing. Ramadan Mubarak.

“I didn’t need fixing, I needed understanding, time and support.” Sarah’s story reflects what moving forward can look li...
18/02/2026

“I didn’t need fixing, I needed understanding, time and support.”

Sarah’s story reflects what moving forward can look like when people are met with compassion rather than judgment. Her journey wasn’t about an instant turning point, but about being listened to and being given the space to rebuild her life.

Through the support she received, Sarah was able to begin making changes at her own pace.

Sarah kindly spoke to us as part of Footprints, our research exploring people’s lived experiences. Read Sarah's story here: https://zurl.co/DHrxb

🌙 Happy Lunar New Year from Phoenix FuturesLunar New Year is a time of renewal, reflection and fresh beginnings.A moment...
17/02/2026

🌙 Happy Lunar New Year from Phoenix Futures

Lunar New Year is a time of renewal, reflection and fresh beginnings.
A moment to let go of what’s been heavy and to make space for hope.

As the new year begins, we’re wishing everyone strength, healing and the chance to move forward

新年快乐 • Gong Hei Fat Choy • Happy New Year 🌱

Our Footprints data shows that many people in our residential services have experience of being in care.Often carrying l...
17/02/2026

Our Footprints data shows that many people in our residential services have experience of being in care.

Often carrying loss, instability and unmet need into adulthood.

Becky’s mum lived with addiction, and Becky went into care.
“My mum is now in recovery… I just wish that help had been available sooner.”
“I’ve lived with addiction, or its effects, all my life.”

Read what the data tells us and why it matters 👉 https://zurl.co/hbT6O

Introducing our Footprints data; evidence shaped by lived experience.Our research keeps telling us: trauma doesn’t disap...
16/02/2026

Introducing our Footprints data; evidence shaped by lived experience.

Our research keeps telling us: trauma doesn’t disappear just because someone grows up. It lives on shaping coping strategies, mental health, and, for many, substance use.

Behind this statistic are people who learned very early that the world wasn’t safe.

Our Footprints Residential Survey paints a powerful picture. Read the report👉 https://zurl.co/hbT6O

Children’s Mental Health Week has been a wonderful opportunity for everyone at Harper House to come together and celebra...
13/02/2026

Children’s Mental Health Week has been a wonderful opportunity for everyone at Harper House to come together and celebrate wellbeing in creative, meaningful ways.

The children proudly designed posters showing what makes them feel happy and safe, and we all enjoyed the fun of “Let Your Child Dress You for a Day,” which brought plenty of laughter.
They also explored emotions through hands‑on activities, including creating emotion boxes and using emotion cards to express their feelings.
Parents took part in a soothing baby‑massage course, supporting bonding and relaxation. We were also delighted to welcome Leanne from Balance and Bliss, who led calming sessions filled with mindfulness, gentle movement, and story time for both children and parents.

These activities helped everyone slow down, connect, and focus on positive mental health across our community.

For Children’s Mental Health Week, we’re sharing Gillian’s story in her own words. 💛Eight-year-old Gillian tells us abou...
12/02/2026

For Children’s Mental Health Week, we’re sharing Gillian’s story in her own words. 💛

Eight-year-old Gillian tells us about life at Harper House, what she enjoys most and the difference it’s made to her and her mum.

👉 Read Gillian’s full story: https://zurl.co/xFJbg

Address

68 Newington Causeway
London
SE16DF

Telephone

+442072349740

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Phoenix Futures posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Phoenix Futures:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Our Story

The UK's first 'Phoenix House' opened its doors in London in 1969, offering Therapeutic Community (TC) based residential rehabilitation. Throughout the 1970s the Phoenix House TC programme adapted and modernised, becoming less rigid and adding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based group work to the programme. We expanded and opened more houses in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, a large increase in funding for the substance misuse field focussed on HIV prevention. Many of the resulting services were harm reduction-based. Phoenix House decided not to get involved in such activity as it contradicted the mission and competencies of the organisation. Our services were abstinence-based, for clients who wanted to be 'clean' and had stopped taking illegal drugs before they walked through the door. The first shift in approach came with the opening of the Fountain Project in 1994, an HIV/AIDS palliative care unit in South London. This service took clients on methadone prescriptions for the duration of their stay. From this point on the organisation began to embrace services for people who were trying to abstain, but were not quite at the point of actually achieving it. As these abstinence-oriented services expanded we won prison contracts where the goal of treatment was abstinence but the clients themselves were more ambivalent. As we developed more Tier 3 structured day services, commissioners increasingly asked us to add open access or Tier 2 elements to our provision. Initially, we embraced Tier 2 work that provided open access/entry points to the treatment system, whilst continuing to avoid 'classic' harm reduction activities such as needle exchange. With good services and strong local leadership, we expanded into harm reduction. This has become the third stage of the organisation's evolution, so that we now deliver abstinence-based, abstinence oriented and harm reduction services. We have always believed that our service users are individuals and that the recovery process for each person is different. We will use whatever interventions and models of service delivery help them along their personal path of recovery. As one of the most diverse substance misuse organisations in the UK, we take pride in our ability to support changed lives from the street through to resettlement.