A new State-wide Recovery College to deliver education and courses to enhance recovery and improve mental health and wellbeing has been officially opened.
Minister for Mental Health, Roger Cook (pictured) said the College has been co-developed by people with have lived the experience of mental health, and alcohol and other drug issues.
“It aims to create positive change and hope to the people of Western Australia by bringing together individuals from all walks of life, where everyone’s lived and learned experience is valued,” Mr Cook said.
He said the mental health support service, HelpingMinds would be working in collaboration with the College to establish, manage and operate the Western Australian Recovery College Alliance.
He said the Recovery College would open in stages.
“The Metropolitan, Wheatbelt, South-West and Goldfields Regions will be operational as part of phase one, and the Pilbara/Kimberley Regions to be opened as part of phase two in 2022,” Mr Cook said.
“This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting all of us, mental health and wellbeing has become more important than ever.”
The Minister said the Recovery College would deliver information, courses and education from people who had been through a recovery journey before, so those accessing the College could learn from their lived experience and the understanding of peers.
“Delivering services in the community is a priority…we want to support people to manage a mental illness out of hospital and in the community, including developing a support network around themselves and learning skills to support them,” Mr Cook said.
The College is currently looking for educators to co-design and deliver courses and information is accessible at this PS News link.
