22 January 2026
Emma McLean has always wanted to help people. She's been doing it in some form since she was 13 years old.
Growing up with her nana in Glasgow, Emma would help out at soup kitchens, walk the streets handing out hot drinks, and organise Christmas appeals to help people who’d become homeless.
By 19, she was working in one of Glasgow's most challenging drug and alcohol services. Now aged 24, and a recovery worker at WithYou's Glasgow North West hub, she's helping people find their way forward.
“This job comes with a lot of responsibility. You're dealing with people's lives,” she says. “But seeing people make progress, that's what it's all about.”
Emma's journey into recovery work hasn’t been straightforward. She left school early, tried business studies at college, then found her calling in social care. Her first role was at a drug and alcohol crisis centre, where people came for three-week detox stays.
After five years, the lack of visible progress was taking its toll.
“Most of the time I’d only see people again if they relapsed and came back in. There wasn’t a huge amount of positivity. It was tough and I began to think I needed a job where I could see people moving forward with their lives.”
That's exactly what she found at WithYou.
Emma works with people seeking support with drug and alcohol use, seeing them for regular key work sessions. But she's adamant that no two clients are the same, and she tailors her approach to each person.
"I'm always keen to find out what someone’s passionate about, or what hobby they like. They might not know at first but I try to work with them to uncover that."
If a client mentions an interest, Emma jumps on it. After a session, she'll research groups and activities that match. If someone tells her they love arts and crafts, she'll look for creative groups. If they mention they enjoy football or cooking, she'll find out what's available locally.
"I don't paint everybody with the same brush. You need to really listen and find what motivates them to change."
This person-centred approach is at the heart of how Emma works. Each key work session starts with a simple question: how are you? Not just about substance use, but about housing, family, mental health, everything.
"It's a holistic approach. We're not just here to speak about substance use. I always read notes before sessions so I remember what we spoke about last time. If someone said they had a doctor's appointment coming up, I'll ask how it went. It shows you're listening."
Building trust takes time, and Emma knows that. Many of the people she works with have experienced trauma, been in prison, or had bad experiences with services before.
"I don't rush in. I don't expect them to tell me everything about their life straight away. You peel back a layer each time you see them. You need to be patient."
Her favourite day of the week is Tuesday, when she facilitates a women's recovery group alongside Carolanne, a volunteer with lived experience who once used WithYou's services herself.
"When the group session finishes, the women all continue chatting to each other. They often go for something to eat together afterwards. Some of them have never had that support network before. It's a really nice safe place."
The partnership between Emma and Carolanne represents something important about how WithYou works in Glasgow. Staff with lived experience work alongside those without it, often from different organisations, each bringing different strengths to support people's recovery.
Watching people she’s supported collect their certificates at graduation ceremonies is Emma's proudest moment.
"It can be quite emotional, but in a good way,” she says. “Me and Caroline stand up together to congratulate them.They're given a certificate for their commitment to the group work they've completed and often come up and have pictures taken with their friends and family.”
Progress doesn't always mean abstinence, and Emma is quick to point that out. Sometimes it's helping someone transition from daily methadone pick-ups at the chemist to monthly injections.
"That's massive progress. It means they’re not standing in a queue every day. They can live a bit more. If they’ve got family commitments, they’re not restricted by having to be at the chemist. When you see people make that shift, it's worth so much."
But whether it's big steps or small ones, what matters most to Emma is seeing someone start to believe in themselves.
"I did a key work session yesterday and showed someone what their last recovery plan looked like compared to now. The smile on their face, that's what makes the job worth it. That's why I'm here."
After a year at WithYou's Glasgow North West hub, Emma can see the service's impact across the city. At recovery cafes, she meets people volunteering who tell her they were once supported by the charity.
"It shows you the service is getting people at their worst, bringing them through key works and group work, connecting them with recovery communities. Now they're volunteering and helping other people."
This approach, connecting people not just with one-to-one support but with groups, peer networks and the wider recovery community, is central to WithYou's model in Glasgow.
"Partnership working is key," Emma explains. "We work with recovery cafes, with other organisations, with the statutory services. When everyone works together, it means the person's got more choice and better support."
For Emma, every client brings a different story, different challenges, different hopes. But her approach remains consistent.
"When people really start to believe in themselves, when they attend groups, when they develop positive relationships, that's the progress that matters."
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs or alcohol, Emma and the team are here to help. Find out more about our free, confidential support for anyone aged 16 or over in the north west of Glasgow at wearewithyou.org.uk/local-hubs/north-west-glasgow
