Personal accounts from the group

The Make A Change group, who are based in Newport, is made up of people who are serving drug treatment and testing orders (DTTO), which are issued to offenders by courts to enable them to kick their habit.

As part of the DTTO programme, people attend a drama session and it was from there the idea to put on workshops aimed at young people was developed.

Now, the group is planning a tour of schools around Newport, Monmouthshire and Torfaen where they will encourage teenagers to challenge their ideas about drug use.

As part of their workshops, which they will also take to groups of young offenders, the audience will be encouraged to interact and role-play in order for them to understand the dangers and consequences of using drugs.

Often kids think it is cool to take drugs and this is a good way of giving them the reality of it Mark Saunders

Mark Saunders, 28, who was a heroin addict for 10 years before coming clean eight months ago, said that the workshops were a positive way of advising young people.

He has already taken part in some pilot sessions in front of young offenders and schoolchildren.

"Often kids think it is cool to take drugs and this is a good way of giving them the reality of it," he said.

His comments were echoed by Wayne Ellaway, 27 who has been off heroin for five months after a nine-year habit.

"The scary thing is that many teenagers don't know the different names of heroin and say they would never take heroin but would consider taking crack or brown which is the same thing.

"The drama workshops are a way of educating the young people and giving them informed choices," he added.

Angela Brinkworth leads the drama group

Angela Brinkworth, a drama therapist, has been leading the group, who meet every week.

She said that the funding for the schools project had come from Wales Awards for All.

"The group identified a number of issues that they wanted to take action on, including informing young people about the dangers of drug abuse," she said.

"The workshops that will be taken on tour in September are to encourage debate and discussion among young people about drug abuse.

"And the group members are the experts on drug abuse because they have been there and done it.

"It is a way of informing young people and sharing their experiences with them in an educational way," she added.

And the group have ambitions to produce a film to help people from relapsing into using drugs inspired by a script written by one of the members, 33-year-old Jason Jennings, who was an addict for 11 years.