WATCH: "Your past does not define your future"

Friday 27 September 2019

An islander who started a fashion company after overcoming heroin addiction is urging employers to acknowledge the value and hidden potential of ex-offenders and people in recovery from addiction.

Lauren Burnett (35) is one of the many faces of the ‘More Than My Past’ campaign, which was launched yesterday by the Forward Trust, a charity which has been helping people with criminal backgrounds or drug and alcohol problems turn their lives around for over 25 years.

The campaign aims to challenge barriers and stigmas that prevent people with difficult pasts from reaching their full potential, particularly in finding work, whilst demonstrating to employers that such individuals are a worthy investment, if given the opportunity to prove themselves. 

Video: Lauren shared her story for the 'More than my past' campaign.

Lauren first got involved with the charity behind the campaign last Christmas when she set up a pop-up shop right next to the Trew Era café. The café was opened by comedian Russell brand in 2015, who donated it to the Forward Trust the following year.

Lauren became familiar with the Forward Trust team and, inspired by her story, they asked her to be involved in the 'More Than My Past' campaign.

Lauren's own journey began aged 14, when she started dabbling with drugs.

After working in modelling in her 20s, Lauren returned to the island where – amid difficulties finding work – she fell back into former habits, eventually taking heroin.

But an accidental overdose, which resulted in a significant head wound, led to a wake-up call that set her on a new path.

After finding a fresh start with the 12-step programme, she created her online fashion company years later, naming it after her daughter and a nickname for her son: ‘Luella Rockerfella’. 

Pictured: Lauren launched her online fashion company after recovering from addiction.

Lauren has always been open about her past and used her social media following and online blog to challenge the perception of addiction and encourage compassion towards suffering addicts.

She has also used her business to help raise funds for The Silkworth Trust, the drug and alcohol rehabilitation charity that helped her to get clean, through the 'Hat Project'.

Founded on Lauren’s experiences in covering her head wound, the project saw female prisoners make hats in the hope of giving them the chance to develop new skills.

While Lauren managed to turn her life around, others may find barriers in their way, with stigma a key issue.

According to the Forward Trust, ex-offenders and people in recovery are the two groups that organisations are least likely to employ. One in 4 people in recovery have been turned down for jobs three times or more by disclosing their past.

Having experienced “judgment, whispers and derogatory names” while she was recovering, Lauren is keen to change public opinion about addiction.

Pictured: The Hat Project helps raise funds for the Silkworth Lodge whilst teaching female prisoners new skills.

“The thing about addiction is that it is not selective – addiction exists in all social circles and societies – and it must be seen as an illness in those who suffer from it,” she told Express. “Some people are scared to come out with their problems because of the stigma. We are not second-class citizens.”

The mother-of-two also wants people to change the way they speak about people suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, as they “already have severely low self-worth”.

“If you are feeding that, fuelling that by using derogatory names they are never going to feel that they are able to get the help they need,” she explained. 

Lauren explained that people’s perception of her started to change when she was doing business and became more confident in herself.

“An investor in the US made me realise my story made me influential and that I was smart because of what I had been through,” she explained.

Pictured: "No matter how dark it gets, there is always light at the end of the tunnel," Lauren said.

“Everything I have learned in my life has helped me become who I am. I am in no way ashamed of my story and I don’t want other people to be ashamed.”

Lauren hopes that by sharing her story, she will be able to inspire others who are suffering with addiction.

“The main message of the campaign, and one that I would like to share as well, is exactly what the campaign is called. We are more than our past. Your past does not define what you’re going to be in the future. No matter how dark it gets, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.”

Forward Trust CEO Mike Trace commented: "We know that, if we show a belief in their ability to make a positive change, and give them the opportunity to prove themselves, [ex-offenders and people in recovery] can do amazing things. We back up this belief – a third of our salaried employees have a history of addiction and 15% are ex-offenders – but all have proven themselves as valued and skilled colleagues.

"We also have hundreds of former and current volunteers and apprentices with lived experience of substance misuse and/or crime. We want you to share our belief in this untapped potential, and do something to support people to be more than their past."