LEROs & CLERO: Why We Choose Community Over Competition

At the College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations (CLERO), we deeply admire the  dedication, passion, and authenticity that LEROs bring to their communities. Our foundation  rests on the understanding that true recovery and thriving communities are nurtured through  collaboration not competition. 

LEROs are not conventional service providers; they are community-rooted movements led by lived experience, built on trust, belonging, and shared purpose. When organisations compete for contracts in the same locality, the system suffers. Divisions appear. People become  attached to “camps” rather than communities and recovery becomes fragmented. 

What CLERO Stands For: Ethos & Standards 

From CLERO’s national standards and values, our purpose is clear: 

• To develop and promote a UK-wide recovery strategy grounded in lived experience  and community voice. 

• To build coherence, trust, and connection across recovery organisations.

• To ensure that LEROs are authentic, independent, and governed by lived experience  led by those who have walked the path of recovery themselves. 

• To champion community, inclusivity, equality, honesty, transparency, and co production as the heart of our work. 

These values define who we are and what we stand for, not as competitors, but as  collaborators in a shared mission. 

Complementing Each Other, Not Competing 

We believe in complementing each other’s strengths, sharing innovations and good practice  and working as a collective, not competing for space or resources. Every LERO has its own  local identity, culture, and rhythm, and the LERO should be a part of the community it works  in – not imported from somewhere else. When we recognise and honour each other’s  contributions, we protect the integrity of the recovery ecosystem and ensure that every person  can access support that truly fits their path.

Competition divides. Collaboration unites. 

By working together, we amplify what each organisation does best whether that’s peer  support, harm reduction, housing, advocacy, or training creating a richer, more resilient  recovery landscape. 

Why “No Competition in Localities” Matters 

1. It preserves trust and authenticity. 

Recovery thrives in relationships built on safety, honesty, and respect. When multiple  organisations compete for the same community, those relationships fracture.

2. It strengthens the recovery community to work collaboratively and to learn  collectively to adapt our models to local needs and strengths. 

Competition breeds division; collaboration builds unity. LEROs work best when they  share knowledge, not when they duplicate services. 

3. It protects lived experience leadership. 

A true LERO is defined by lived experience at its core. According to CLERO standards, the Chair of the Board and the CEO of each LERO should both have lived  experience. When leadership lacks this, the authenticity and trust essential to  community recovery are lost. 

How We Work Differently 

• Where there are opportunities in areas without an existing local LERO, CLERO’s first aim is to support the emergence and development of a new, community-led LERO rooted in that place. Established LEROs may assist this process through mentorship, collaboration and sharing experience — not by taking over delivery. 

• CLERO does not support arrangements in which larger LEROs partner with national providers merely to meet contractual or funding criteria, as this risks stifling local leadership and reducing the authenticity of lived experience recovery. 

• Where a LERO already operates in an area, CLERO does not support another entering to compete and encourages partnership and mutual support instead. 

• Locally Grown Collaboration We recognise that in some communities, more than one  authentic LERO may emerge from within the same local context. When this happens,  CLERO encourages partnership rather than rivalry — where organisations share  roots, histories, and relationships, they are uniquely positioned to co-create solutions  that reflect the richness and diversity of their community.  

• Standard alignment: Every LERO should meet the national CLERO standards on  governance, co-production, and independence and should be able to evidence that  they do so. 

• Collective strength: We are working with LEROs across the UK to build a unified  movement based on cooperation, mutual respect, and shared learning, based on  principles of trust and generosity of spirit. 

Working Through Disagreements: CLERO’s Role in Arbitration 

Even in a movement grounded in lived experience, passion and purpose can sometimes lead  to misunderstanding or conflict. When this happens, CLERO’s role is not to take sides, but to  bring people together to restore communication, rebuild trust, and refocus on what matters  most: recovery and community.

We are developing an arbitration and mediation approach designed to help LEROs navigate  disputes about boundaries, collaboration, or locality overlap in a fair and transparent way.  The goal is not to decide who is “right,” but to help both sides see how they can complement,  not compete, with one another, for the benefit of people in or seeking recovery in the local  community. 

Our approach will include: 

• Early conversation and mediation between the LEROs involved, supported by a  neutral CLERO facilitator. 

• Shared review of CLERO standards, reaffirming the principles of authenticity,  independence, and lived experience leadership. 

• Agreed actions that prioritise cooperation, shared learning, and community benefit  over organisational gain. 

• This will be based on credible mediators who have considerable experience in  managing LEROs 

We want to see LEROs working together, supporting each other not creating divides.  Disputes can become opportunities for growth and deeper understanding when handled with  honesty, empathy, and shared purpose. CLERO’s role is to ensure that we remain a  movement united by values, not separated by competition. 

A Call to Commissioners and Providers 

We urge commissioners, funders, and partner agencies to recognise that supporting one authentic LERO, that has its roots and foundations in that community, in each area sustains community cohesion and long-term outcomes. 

• Work with your local LERO. Engage, invest, and collaborate with those who already  hold the trust of the recovery community. 

• Do not import competition. Supporting outside providers in established LERO areas  damages the local ecosystem and undermines lived experience leadership. • Support new growth responsibly. In areas without LEROs, work with CLERO and  established LEROs to co-design and mentor new initiatives rooted in community need. 

• Engaging established LEROs to consult on the development of a new LERO is  acceptable as long as this relationship is clearly and transparently temporary and until  a local LERO is established. 

Why This Approach Works 

• Community before contract. Recovery isn’t a business model; it’s a human  connection. 

• Belonging before branding. People thrive when they feel seen, valued, and part of  something real. 

• Strength in solidarity. When LEROs stand together, we can influence systems,  champion lived experience, and advocate nationally with one voice. 

Conclusion

We believe in collaboration over competition, community over contract, and authenticity  over ambition. 

LEROs only thrive when they stand shoulder to shoulder complementing one another’s work,  amplifying local voices, and strengthening the national movement for recovery. 

By recognising and honouring each other’s contributions, we can protect the integrity of the  recovery ecosystem and ensure that every person has access to the support that truly fits their  path. 

Together, we can continue to build recovery communities that are authentic, inclusive, and united, not divided by competition, but strengthened by collaboration. 

CLERO 

The Recovery Connectors  

Dave Higham 

Dot Smith  

James Sadler  

Dave Memery  

Sohan Sahota 

Larry Eve 

Lanre Bubic 

Tracey Ford 

David Best 

Ed Day