Since 2014, ARCH Recovery College has helped adults with mental health issues gain the skills and knowledge they need to manage their recovery journey and to have more control over their lives.
Based at St Margaret’s Health Centre in Durham and run by our Trust, they offer a variety of discussion-based educational courses and workshops on mental health, wellbeing and recovery, as well as outdoor activities including photography, mindfulness practices and walking groups.
The Recovery College has helped hundreds of people struggling with their mental health, with many students returning to help co-create and co-facilitate the courses and workshops.
Anne Carr, a peer worker at West Park Hospital, said: “I’ve always been an outgoing person, but once my mental health problems started, I was not that person anymore.
“Going to ARCH Recovery College helped me find myself again. They made me feel listened to and understood, they didn’t judge me.
“In the future, I want to see more Recovery Colleges. I know there is Recovery College Online, but it’s different being face-to-face and having trainers with lived experience as well – we know better than anyone what’s going on and how they’re feeling, and its being able to share that.”
The College has collaborated with local community services to enhance what they can offer their students, including The National Trust, Durham University, The Solan Trust, Adventure Access (Seaham) and many more organisations.
Their ‘Walk Durham’ service in conjunction with Durham County Council offers regular walks in and around the City of Durham allowing the benefit of being outdoors in nature surrounded by others with similar experiences, as well as their links with Help for Heroes to enhance services offered to veterans.
Peter Swan, peer trainer at ARCH Recovery College, said: “I think it is great how ARCH has grown and evolved over the last 10 years. Recovery Colleges are still a new concept, yet the success of ARCH has added to evidence that adopting recovery principles can make a significant difference to people’s lives.”
To mark the milestone, ARCH Recovery College hosted a celebratory event (18 December) with over 70 people in attendance.
During the ceremony, guests explored the Recovery College’s journey so far, with opportunities to experience some of the many activities available within the College, including Mindfulness, Rich Picturing, CHIME principles and compassion focussed gratitude letters.
Attendees also received a demonstration of the new Recovery College Online e-learning site that went live Wednesday 18 December. Recovery College Online is an e-learning programme that provides educational wellbeing courses and resources, accessible worldwide and available to anyone.
Tracey Chapman, ARCH Recovery College’s operations manager, said: “I am really proud of what we have achieved over the last 10 years. ARCH Recovery College has helped a lot of people reach their wellbeing and recovery goals.
“We have had a massive amount of support from clinical teams and of course involvement peers and Recovery College students who help in the co-creation of our courses and workshops.
“As well as this, the support we have received from the third sector and voluntary organisations, who continue to signpost people to our College, has increased the number of people using our services immensely.”
Christine Tracey, who attended ARCH Recovery College and is now a volunteer, said: “Too often in our lives a simple smile, a simple word and a listening ear is so underestimated when in recovery from living in a very dark place, and this was a yearning that I didn’t even know I needed.
“Together, an honest compliment and a simple act of kindness turned my life around so positively, I have achieved so much thanks to the team at ARCH.”
To continue the celebrations, ARCH Recovery College will be holding tree planting ceremonies at various sites across TEWV including West Park Hospital, Roseberry Park Hospital, Foss Park Hospital and Cross Lane Hospital.
10 British native trees will be planted, one to mark each year the college has been in practice.
The ceremonies will be delivered by TEWV chief executive Brent Kilmurray and Trust chair David Jennings.
The first of many ceremonies took place at Lanchester Road Hospital on Monday 16 December.
To find out more about ARCH Recovery College and Recovery College Online visit: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/get-involved/training/arch-recovery-college
