Setting fire to her flat was a "cry for help", Bernadette Pollock says.

She already had a number of criminal convictions, linked to binge drinking and substance misuse. She had struggled for years with these problems and with bipolar disorder, low self-esteem and isolation. Losing her job had been the final straw.

Put on a probation order, she sought help from Alcoholics Anonymous and began taking medication to help with her depression. It was then that she first heard of the Venture Trust's Next Steps programme.

This aims to break the cycle of re-offending for women with repeat convictions, by taking them away from their communities to face new challenges in the outdoors.

The programme was one of 13 to receive a share of £7.4 million in funding from the Big Lottery Fund's Investing in Communities programme this week. The programme, which aims to fund support for communities in need at challenging times or people who are at a turning point in their lives, awarded the Venture Trust a grant of £840,320.

Ms Pollock - Berny - who is 43, was referred through the Shine Women's Mentoring Service, which was also giving her support to stay sober.

Joining the programme initially involved one-to-one meetings with a Venture Trust Outreach Worker. Berny says she hopes to return to work, so she can support herself and her son.

Her Outreach Worker helped her set herself targets in preparation for the wilderness journey that all participants eventually undertake. She realised she needed to improve her physical and mental health. She was also given help to develop her confidence, increase her ability to work with others, and told she needed to get better at not giving up in the face of difficult tasks.

Venture Trust's wilderness journey takes participants away from the influences, behaviours and stresses of their usual environment into rugged, outdoor Scottish surroundings that encourage reflection, learning, challenge, and discussion.

Every year it takes hundreds of ex-offenders on such trips, but the single-sex Next Step programme is only for women. It was evaluated in 2012 by Edinburgh University, whose researchers reported evidence that it could be particularly effective in helping women abstain from alcohol, commit fewer crimes and find and take up voluntary or paid work.

Berny claims the dramatic change of context, combined with support from Venture Trust's field team, helps women identify what they need to change in their lives.

Mentally and physically demanding activities took her outside her comfort zone, she admits.

"I had to tackle my fear of water when we went canoeing and at first I was worried about how deep the water was and if the canoe would capsize. But, eventually I relaxed and really enjoyed it."

The Venture Trust says that rather than just being "fun", all the wilderness activities are chosen with personal development in mind.

Canoeing, for example, calls for effective communication, team work and managing a challenge: Despite her fears, Berny was learning valuable skills.

Meanwhile the journey continues for the women participants after they return from the wilderness.

Berny says: "Venture Trust helped me set goals for my return home, ones that were straightforward like taking the dog for a nice walk, checking out things to do with my son, and getting off painkillers. And Venture Trust's support has continued since I came back from the wilderness programme."

Now, as well as avoiding drink, she is in touch with other support and volunteering regularly.

"They help me keep up with my action plan and have introduced me to community services that can also help me. I now volunteer for Barnardo's twice a week and have applied for a job with the GalGael Trust. My dream is to be in a full-time job helping other people and to be a good role model to my son."

She believes the outdoor experience has brought her nearer that goal.

"I had a life-changing experience when I went away with the Venture Trust for four days," she says.