Introduction
Welcome to the Brighton and Hove Recovery College, a
new and exciting pilot project running from October
2012 to July 2013.
Several recovery colleges are already
running in other parts of the country , signalling a new
way of thinking about mental health services, helping to
challenge stigma and break down
barriers.
The Recovery College is run in partnership with Sussex
Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Mind Out and Friends
Centre, Brighton and Hove.
We hope that you will be inspired to take a course at the
college and to join with us to enable the future
development of this project .
Recovery College: What’s it all
about?
Brighton and Hove Recovery College (pilot project): our
mission is to empower all individuals who have lived
experience of mental health issues, to develop skills and
knowledge, to take control of their health and well-being,
to foster the importance of community learning and to
challenge stigma.
The Recovery College provides a range of courses and
resources for people with lived experience of mental
health issues, their friends, families and carers,
professionals and mental health practitioners. All courses
are co-produced and co-delivered by people with
professional and lived experience, enabling people to
draw on their own expertise and resourcefulness,
encouraging them to become experts in their own self
management and to share their journey of recovery
with others.
The Recovery College is for anyone who wishes to learn
and grow, to develop their skills and to contribute
towards the well-being and recovery of others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where is Recovery College based?
A. The main campus site is at the Mind offices, 51 New
England Street, BN1 4GQ and this is where all the
administration and paperwork is carried out, as well as
most of the meetings, such as the Steering Group etc.
However courses will be run at various venues around
the city to ensure they are accessible to as many
people as possible.
Q. Do I need any qualifications?
A. No – the Recovery College is aimed at enabling people
to learn new skills and knowledge to help them
manage their own recovery. It does not require any
academic qualifications.
Q. Where can I find out more information?
A We have a project blog-site which gives more
information on the courses available and has a signposting section to direct learners to other projects
running in the city. The address is
www.recoverycollegebrighton.wordpress.com
We also have a small supply of recovery-orientated
materials for learners to refer to and make use of.
Booking a Place on a Course
To book a place on a course, contact us by telephone or
email. We need to meet with each learner to register you
with the college and for you to fill out an individual
learning plan. By meeting face-to-face, we can talk about
the project, what we can offer and what you hope to gain
and discuss any support needs that you may have.
As this is a pilot project , we will be collecting a certain
amount of information about our learners, for our
funders. We hope that you won’t find this too intrusive
and please be assured that all information will be kept
confidential and only used to evaluate the project.
Collecting this information will help us to apply for future
funding for the Recovery College but please speak to us if
you have any questions or concerns about this.
If you are unable to attend a course for any reason, we do
ask that you let us know, so that we can offer the place to
someone else and also, so that we know not to worry
about you
recovery.college@mindcharity.co.uk
Tel: 01273 666950
Support to Attend Recovery College
We aim to support people to attend the Recovery College.
We are recruiting peer support volunteers who will be
able to offer support to you if you need it. This could be
by; emailing or texting you the day before, to remind
you about a course, meeting with you at a convenient
place to accompany you to the college, meeting after
a course to talk about how it went, or to help with any
course work that you might have to do. Any support
that you think you might need can be discussed when
you enrol at the college.
PLEASE SEE THE NEXT SECTION, FOR COURSES RUNNING
AT THE COLLEGE
Understanding Mental Health
& it’s Treatment
Mental Health Awareness
With Mind: general awareness raising about mental
health especially around stigma, including BME, culture
and gender.
Wednesday 10th April 2013, 10.00 to 4.30
A six and-a-half hour workshop
Mind, 51 New England St, BN1 4GQ
Understanding your Mental Health Condition
Learner led workshops, as open forums to explore (1)
the symptoms of each diagnosis, (2) the medication
specific to each one, including side effects, reducing
and coming off medication and (3) alternative
treatments for each diagnosis
June or July
3 x 2 or 3 hour sessions
Venue to be confirmed
Making the Most of Services in
Brighton and Hove
Navigating Mental Health Services
With Sussex Partnership Trust: Information on where to go and how
to access mental health services, both statutory and 3rd sector, the
admissions process, the different professional roles, the Care
Programme Approach & NICE guidelines on what you should be able
to expect from services.
June or July
2 x 2 hour sessions
Venue to be confirmed
Exploring ‘The Rock’
A practical exploration of ‘The Rock’, Sussex Partnerships Trust’s
online community tool kit for developing and supporting social
inclusion and the recovery journey
May or June
3 x 2 hour sessions
Venue to be confirmed
What to Expect from Therapy
With Sussex Partnership Trust: What to expect when you see a
therapist and how to make the most of therapy; the different types of
therapy available together with the pros and cons of each; specialist
areas, statutory availability and local low cost therapy.
May or June
3 hour, half day workshop
Venue to be confirmed
Making the Most of contd...
What is Advocacy
With Mind: A workshop exploring what advocacy is and
what it isn’t, a brief history of the advocacy movement,
different types and styles of advocacy and how to self
advocate.
Tuesday 16th April, 1.00 to 4.30
One half day
Mind, 51 New England St., BN1 4GQ
How to Make a Complaint
With Mind: A workshop looking at the NHS complaints
procedure, how to initiate a complaint, how to resolve
complaints at a local level and how to take them higher.
Tuesday 23rd April, 1.00 to 4.30
Room 2, Friends Meeting House, Ship St., BN1 1AF
Managing Recovery
Planning your Own Recovery
With Sussex Partnership Trust, a workshop focusing on
planning your own recovery and developing self
management tools and resilience, using WRAP and
finding creative ways to incorporate WRAP into your
every-day life.
Date and time to be confirmed
One half day
Venue to be confirmed
Family Inclusive Practice
With Sussex Partnership Trust: a one day course for
relatives, carers and professionals of those with mental
health issues, enabling them to work constructively
together to support those they care for and work with,
to lead the lives they want.
May and June – dates to be confirmed
Venue to be confirmed
Developing Strategies for
Health & Well-being
Coping with Depression
With Sussex Partnership Trust: A workshop looking at practical ways
of coping with depression including some low level CBT techniques.
18th April , 1.00 to 4.30 - TBC
Room 2, Friends Meeting House, Ship St., BN1 1AF
Managing Anxiety
With Sussex Partnership Trust: A workshop exploring causes and
symptoms of anxiety, the physiological and emotional affects of this,
treatments available (including alternative therapies) and self
management techniques.
April, May or June – to be confirmed
One half day
Mind, 51 New England St., BN1 4GQ
Coping with Stress in the Workplace
With Mind: Essential techniques and tools for improving mental wellbeing and managing and reducing workplace stress.
Friday 22nd March, 10.00 to 4.30
A one day course
Mind, 51 New England St., BN1 4GQ
Developing Strategies contd...
Coping Strategies and Problem Solving
With Sussex Partnership Trust: 3 hour introduction to a
Problem Solving Pack, a practical and focussed selfhelp approach to self-directed problem solving.
Thurs 25th or Fri 26th April - to be confirmed
One half day
Venue to be confirmed
Building your Self Esteem & Confidence (LGBT)
With Mind Out: A course for members of the LGBT
community, looking at techniques and strategies to
build self esteem.
Starts Saturday 6th, April, 2.00 to 4.30
(learners advised to arrive at approx 1.45)
One afternoon a week for four weeks
Mind, 51 New England St., BN1 4GQ
Developing Strategies contd...
Introduction to Peer Mentoring
With Mind: A workshop exploring what is mentoring and
what skills are required? The stages of a typical mentoring
relationship plus practical & ethical considerations.
Tuesday 11th June, 1.00 to 4.00
One half day
Mind, 51 New England St., BN1 4GQ
Motivating Yourself - TBC
Positive thinking and the importance of optimism
Date & time – to be confirmed
Venue to be confirmed
Developing Knowledge & Life
Skills
Work and Well-being
With Southdown Housing: how to prepare for returning to work or
study (including voluntary work). The benefits of work, the barriers
and how to overcome them, finances and work, job searching,
applying for jobs, interviews and staying well in the work place.
Introductory session on 28th Feb – 1.00-3.00
Starts Thursday 7th March, 2.00 – 4.00
One afternoon a week for seven weeks
Mind, 51 New England St., BN1 4GQ
Creating a Community Garden
With Friends Centre: A course looking at transforming a public space
into a welcoming and visually interesting area.
Starts Monday 28th January, 1.00 to 3.00
One afternoon a week for twelve weeks
Friends Centre, Brighton Junction, 35 New England St., BN1 4GQ
NCFE Level I Exercise Studies
With Albion in the Community: A course to provide learners with a
better understanding of fitness and exercise, gain confidence, be in a
position to assist in exercise classes and have the possibility to move
on to gaining a qualification which could lead to work . This course is
open to anyone aged 16 and over and is not exclusively football
based.
Starts Tuesday 9th April, 3.00 to 5.00
One afternoon a week for 8 – 12 weeks
American Express Community Stadium, Falmer, Brighton
Developing knowledge contd...
Climbing for Recovery
With a climbing instructor: learn how to manage your
recovery through climbing, discover how by simply
concentrating on your next move you can bring
yourself into the moment and restore a sense of
stillness, calm and peace. (There will be a maximum of
8 learners on this course).
Tuesday 7th, 12.00 to 2.00
One afternoon a week for four weeks
Stanley Deason leisure centre, Wilson’s Ave, BN2 5PB
Using the Arts to Aid Recovery
With Art in Mind: a course using mixed media enabling
learners to explore what recovery means to them,
including clay work, use of fabrics, printing techniques
and creating a recovery box .
Friday 5th April, 2.00 to 4.00
Once a week for six weeks
Friends Centre, Brighton Junction, Isetta Square
Getting Involved with Recovery
College
If you would like to become involved with the project please
contact us. People can become volunteers to help others access
the college, become part of the Steering Group helping to guide
the direction and growth of the college, or as learners, enrolling
in courses with the college.
We will be holding a graduation ceremony in July 2013 for all
our learners to attend to celebrate their achievements.
Thank You
To all our volunteers, peer trainers and learners and to
our partner agencies.
This project has been funded by the Skills Funding Agency.