Facilitator Toolkit – Journey Map

Journey Map Activity – Step by step instructions for visualising one person’s recovery story. This activity uses a road and symbols to create an engaging visual.

Materials available below include: emotional touchpoint cards, developed by Healthcare Improvement Scotland as a way of prompting participants to remember how they felt along their journey, and a page of symbols which can be printed and used as further prompts to help people think about their recovery journey. The Blank journey map can also be printed poster size as a re-usable base for this activity. 

Session Summary

Preparations  

• Use the Bluetack to attach three pieces of flipchart paper to the wall, lined up horizontally. Draw a road through the centre of the paper so that it stretches along the middle of all three in a continuous line (see photo below).   
• Attach each of your symbols and emotions onto the wall around the paper with Bluetack so that they are visible to the person doing the activity and can be easily moved onto the map when required. 
• Resources
  • Flipchart paper
  • Flipchart pens  
  • Symbols and emotions printed and cut out  
  • Bluetack 
  • Post-its

Tip

If you have the time and resources, laminate your symbols and emotions so they can be reused. 

Welcome and introduction – Safety and housekeeping  

• Check in
  • Explore the nature of the activity with your participant.  
• Ensure they are comfortable reflecting on their journey today, including the time leading up to them entering recovery or seeking support
• Ensure they know they can leave or take a break at any point. 
• Discuss options for a follow up check in after the session if emotions are triggered. 
• Resources   
  • Tissues – optional (in case the session is emotional)

Tip

Ideally this session will take place in an area with plenty of privacy 

Introduce activity  

• Journey mapping can be a powerful tool for both parties. The facilitator can learn about how their service fits into a person’s life and enhances it, revealing where things have worked well or areas with gaps. The participant has the chance to reflect on how far they have come in their recovery and the hard work they have done to get there. 

Journey map activity  

• Begin by asking about what happened in the lead up to them engaging with the service, they can start as far back as they feel necessary.
• As your participant tells their story, place the respective symbols and emotions at relevant spots along the road. Annotate each symbol, noting what they represent. You can place time stamps at regular intervals or at pivotal moments in their story, ask your participant to help with this.
• If things are coming up that you don’t have a symbol for, you can add Postits with descriptions or drawings. 
• You can facilitate with questions like:
  • “How did you feel when this happened?”   
  • “What was your health like at this point?” 
  • “Who did you have around you?” 
  • “When did this happen?” 
  • “Where were you living at this point?” 
  • The final part of the map can include the person’s plans for the future.

Tip

Encourage them to tell the story at their own pace and in whatever order they like, the facilitator is there to put everything in the correct place along the road.

Your participant may find it difficult to remember everything in order. Remind them that they can circle back and flesh out areas later. 

Activity conclusion  

• Once the participant feels they have finished, have a read through of the information to see if there’s anything they would like to add or change.
• Take this opportunity to support them to reflect on their journey and congratulate them on their achievements.
• You may want to take photos of the map as a way of recording the feedback or digitize the map later using the computer. 
• Resources   
  • Camera – optional 

Getting in Touch

Please send us an email at his.alcoholanddrugs@nhs.scot if you: 

• have a question about our programme or resources 

• would like to speak to a member of our team about our work