Survey identifying commonality across international Recovery Colleges
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-02-2019-0008 |
| Date | 02 August 2019 |
| Pages | 121-128 |
| Published date | 02 August 2019 |
| Author | Toni King,Sara Meddings |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Survey identifying commonality across
international Recovery Colleges
Toni King and Sara Meddings
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to provide a preliminary outline of the international presence,
commonality and differences between Recovery Colleges.
Design/methodology/approach –This study used a short e-mailed survey to create a map of Recovery
Colleges internationally and review Recovery Colleges outside the UK. Questions gathered descriptive and
qualitative data to gain an overview of the mode of delivery and aspects respondents felt were noteworthy.
Findings –This paper identifies Recovery Colleges in 22 countries in five continents (including the UK).
Participants described wide variance in their context. Despite adaptations, the operational models and
inherent principles of each were closely aligned to those developed in the UK.
Originality/value –This paper provides the first baseline of Recovery Colleges on an international scale. It
provides evidence of a high degree of commonality despite variance in setting and highlights the
internationally valued transformational power of this model.
Keywords Recovery College, Recovery, International, Mental health
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The growthof the Recovery College model has increasedsignificantly. The firstpilot was in London
in 2009 and by 2017, 85were identified in the UK (Anfossi, 2017). Using a 31-item questionnaire
Anfossi gathered operational detail and application of recovery principles in Recovery Colleges.
The development of Recovery Colleges was inspired by but different from the expert patients
programme in the UK and recovery education programmes in the USA.
Perkins et al.’s (2012) original ImROC conceptual paper outlined ten defining features of
Recovery Colleges which were condensed to six in 2018 (Perkins et al., 2018): educational
approach; coproduction, co-facilitation and co-learning; recovery-focused and strengths based;
progressive; integrated with the community and services with transformational potential; and
inclusive and open to all. Similarly, the RECOLLECT study identifies that coproduction and adult
learning underpin Recovery Colleges (Toney, Knight, Hamill, Taylor, Henderson, Crowther,
Meddings, Barbic, Jennings, Pollock, Bates, Repper and Slade, 2018). They function through
creating empowering environments that connect people in new types of relationships, facilitate
personal growth and shift the balance of power (Toney, Elton, Munday, Hamill, Crowther,
Meddings, Taylor, Henderson, Jennings, Waring, Pollock, Bates and Slade, 2018).
Publications about Recovery Colleges internationally demonstrate growing interest and practice
in this area. Several countries share literature reviews and local needs analysis prior to
commencing (Australian Healthcare Associates, 2018; Collins et al., 2016) and the ambition and
realisation of transformational change beyond the Recovery College (Lucchi et al., 2018; Grard
et al., 2017; Arbour and Stevens, 2017). The unique value of coproduction is frequently
emphasised (Sasaki, 2018; Sommer et al., 2018; Skolen for Recovery, 2016).
Perkins et al. (2018) suggest benefit in local variation and growth. International variations include
adjusting to limited resources in Uganda (Baille et al., 2015) and targeting wider student
audiences including young people (Hopkins et al., 2018), those with housing instability
With thanks to ImROC and
Recovery College International
Community of Practice members
and those who helped the authors
map and contact Recovery
Colleges around the world.
Particular thanks to those who
took part in the survey or enabled
others through their translation
skills. Thanks to Julie Repper,
Geoff Shepherd and Dawn
Fleming for support with the
project.
Toni King is based at Solent
NHS Trust, Portsmouth, UK
and ImROC, Nottingham, UK.
Sara Meddings is based at
Department of Education and
Training, Sussex Partnership
NHS Foundation Trust,
Worthing, UK and ImROC,
Nottingham, UK.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-02-2019-0008 VOL. 23 NO. 3 2019, pp. 121-128, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAG E 12 1
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