Setting up a Recovery College: Exploring the Experiences of Mental Health Service-Users, Staff, Carers and Volunteers

Ali, I., Benkwitz, A. and McDonald, P. (2022) Setting up a Recovery College: Exploring the Experiences of Mental Health Service-Users, Staff, Carers and Volunteers. Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Mental Health. ISSN 2198-9834

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Abstract

Following the first recovery college being established in 2009, there has been considerable growth in the number of colleges internationally as they have become established features of service transformations. This is the first study that has holistically explored setting up a recovery college from the combined perspectives of service-users, staff, carers and volunteers involved in the development process. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was undertaken following 25 semi-structured interviews. Results included three key themes of ‘Challenges in the early stages of development’; ‘Having a shared understanding of recovery’; and the ‘Conceptualisation of Recovery Colleges’. This study demonstrated that, as well as future groups seeking to set up a recovery college having clear conceptualisations of personal recovery and the underpinning approach of their recovery college, they should actively manage the level of integration between the college and its host organisation, with open conversations about the power imbalances and roles of service-users, staff, carers and volunteers involved. Those planning to develop a college should also be mindful that although there will be the early challenges as outlined in this study, there are broader benefits for both individuals and the wider organisation via the process of planning and discussions of how to implement co-produced, recovery-oriented practice such as a recovery college.

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Faculty of of Arts, Society and Professional Studies > Department of Health and Behavioural Sciences
Depositing User: Ms Hazel Barham
Date Deposited: 30 Sep 2022 11:05
Last Modified: 22 Aug 2023 04:00
URI: https://newman.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17326

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