Terri Semple as a Community Councillor, Terri developed an interest in working with young people. She became an active youth leader, specialising in working with young people with behavioural issues.


This led to a career in youth training and progression to management of a specialist unit of Inverness College of Higher Education which delivered special Educational needs training. Terri was responsible for leading a team who developed recognised and validated SQA Training Awards for young people. This centre became the focus of new and innovative ideas and was widely acclaimed for promoting and facilitating change in behaviour within the lives of young disadvantaged people challenged by their environment.

Terri became aware of the increasing number of young people presenting with addiction and homelessness issues. Terri undertook additional training and attained qualifications in these areas. With her knowledge, skills and experience in dealing with addictive behaviour, Terri became an integral member of a multi disciplinary/agency forum which influenced policy and practice for disadvantaged young people in Highland. Terri's most rewarding work has been working with young adults who turned their lives around to live addiction free; enjoying lives of positivity beyond their expectations as contributing members of their communities.

Terri spent a further year studying at Newbattle Abbey College before taking up her current post as Manager of a disabled and disadvantaged charity in East Edinburgh. This has been an interesting journey and has reinforced Terri's commitment to working with people who experience addictions and often associated mental illnesses. Recently, Terri developed the conception for a pilot project entitled, Discovery Recovery following consultation and feedback from local community members who are in the pre-contemplative stage of recovery from substance dependency. Implementing Discovery Recovery within a local community at grassroots level, is already demonstrating that people can, do and will continue to recover from addictive behaviour and related problems. The influence of peer support cannot be underestimated; a factor which led to Terri's appointment as a Trustee of SMART Recovery UK in June 2010 where she hopes to continue to reach out and help disadvantaged members of our society.