newsletter April 2015
Welcome to the first edition of The Recovery College Newsletter!
Welcome to all students from all walks of life!
View our full prospectus online http://issuu.com/candirecoverycollege If you didn't know about the Recovery College until now, you can read about our launch on 26 September 2014 here: http://bit.ly/193qoBK
Iris Dearne, The Recovery College Manager
Share Your Thoughts & Ideas With Us! In The Recovery College reception area there is a big orange suggestion box. Please use it as we want to hear your ideas, suggestions and feedback.
Recovery College Open Day 10-4 pm Wednesday April 15th
To date we have had a steady stream of interest and new students and people enrolling on their chosen courses. We have to mention in particular the collaborative work with Mind in Camden, Islington Mind, MH Working (Remploy, Twinning Enterprise, Hillside Clubhouse), Islington Library, Elizabeth House, Working Men’s College, Whittington Health Library, Camden Citizen Advice Bureau, Camden Council, Arlington Conference Centre and Candi NHS professional staff becoming recovery tutors, service users having taken on the role as peer tutors or peer library assistant, our volunteers, IBUG, Ava, independent tutors, Art2Print, Dudfields, students who shape what we do through focus groups, Islington Carers Hub, Voluntary Action Camden, Islington Commissioners, Day for Night films, service user recruiters and steering group members who support the development of The Recovery College. I am thankful for all the different organisations coming forward to work in partnership with us. Our main challenge to date has been to find compatible tutors on subject matters to co-produce new courses from scratch.
Booking the community venues and creating timetables is also challenging as it requires a lot of logistical work to manage people’s availabilities against space availabilities and their capacities to accommodate certain student numbers. Next edition we will run a special article on co-production and what it actually means. I am excited to announce that we have shot our first promotional video about this recovery college ‘Getting Better Together’. Thank you for all the people who assisted in getting it together and who kindly offered their assistance and help. Whatever footage has not been used might get used at a later stage for other small clips on different topics. For the Summer term we will offer 22 courses. We have carried out our first recruitment drive for sessional recovery tutors who will hopefully will take up their posts in about 3 months’ time after all necessary employment checks. Kind regards Iris Dearne Recovery College Manager
FAQs Why a Recovery College? Recovery Colleges shift the focus from the medical model to the holisitic recovery approach. It is an empowering shift of emphasis. As patients and service users we have been identified by our diagnosis. Who you REALLY are, your hopes and dreams were not usually considered. The recovery model is more holistic and sees you as a unique and real person. What is it that you want to do? What would you like to learn that will make your life better? How can we help you? And most importantly; Would you like to work with us to also help others? Who can attend? The college is open to everyone. It is a space free of stigma because the term “student” can apply to anyone, regardless of age, race, class, diagnosis, faith or gender. We can all be students. Being a student also doesn't define any particular level of academic achievement or need any previous qualification. If you come to learn something, you become a student. This is about personal growth. Recovery College provide education about life and this is summed up in the motto of Recovery Colleges which is just 3 words :
HOPE, OPPORTUNITY and CONTROL. A recovery college helps you to get back on track and then hands you the reins. Why is it different from other colleges? The key feature about recovery colleges is “CoProduction”. This means that all the courses are not delivered by just a professional, but taught jointly with peer tutors who have lived experience of mental health issues.. These peers and the professional have equal status, and the lived experience is recognised as being at least as valuable as a professional qualification. All the courses are designed and taught in partnership. This is what we mean when we say “co-produced”. Working together gives better results for everyone. It is not always easy for our voice to be heard, and there have been setbacks and disappointments. Coproduction is the future however, and there is a growing network of recovery colleges cross the country, and a legal requirement now for service providers to not only consult but to engage service users in decision making processes. It is a change that is coming from both the bottom and the top because it has been proven to be a more effective system. You can help us to grow and become part of this transformation. What about the design of the college? Service users played a key part in the design. We has a meeting on site where we were introduced to the contractor who was going to redevelop the space in the Bloomsbury building designated for the Recovery College. As he talked us through “his” plans we became increasingly uncomfortable with his approach and expertise, and felt we were not listened to. The initial Recovery College Manager, Christine Burgess, agreed with us and arranged instead for the work to be planned instead in conjunction with GVA architects. This was much better and over a series of meetings with them service users and staff designed the college together. There were still some challenges and disappointments, but service user input was directly responsible for the following: * Replacing the ugly wired glass windows in the library with a coloured glass block design. * Choosing wood effect flooring in the toilets rather than the usual speckled composite plastic. * Choosing the colour of the wall paint. * Converting one large disabled toilet io provide an additional toilet in the reception area. * Wooden handrails on the disabled ramp at the
entrance. * We designed the reception desk which made it more friendly and disabled accessible than the one proposed to us. The desk was then specially built to our design. * Integrated planters outside the entrance rather than the proposed concrete tubs. * Wall lighting as well as overhead.
mental health peer mentoring pilot service. If you have lived experience of mental health problems and are at a stage where you would like to use this experience to help and support others, then we would like to hear from you. In return, we can offer access to an accredited training programme, many opportunities for development, and monetary reward and recognition. If you would like to apply to be a peer mentor, please contact Rachel Killick. Thanks Rachel Killick Service user involvement advocate t: 020 3355 7113 m: 07770 014 109 e: Rachel.killick@voiceability.org www.voiceability.org
HCCT Media & Arts Team Do you like to write? Fancy journalism or editing? Are you a photographer, poet, filmmaker or artist?
Looking into the library through the glass blocks Who decided the Prospectus? There was a very busy open meeting - so busy in fact that some of us had to sit on the floor. We looked through the prospectuses from several other Recovery Colleges and then discussed what we thought we should offer. We came up with a list of about 33 course titles. Then we narrowed it down to a dozen, and then from those worked out who could deliver them and what was needed. With the help of people from Central and North West London Recovery College we drew up the lesson plans and objectives around each course. A few fell by the wayside due to various reasons, but we hope to pick up more of the original suggestions and offer them as the college grows.
Branching Out Are you interested in joining a Journal Club? Contact catherinewardle@nhs.net
Mental Health Peer Mentoring Pilot VoiceAbility were recently awarded funding by Camden Clinical Commissioning Group to deliver a
Whether you have skills or want to learn, we are seeking enthusiastic people to join our new Media & Arts Team. Join our friendly team and you can help to produce the Trust newsletter, community films and other projects. In fact, why don't tell us what you'd like to create? Whatever you would like to do or learn, you will be very welcome. For more information, please contact Kumar at kumar.grant@hcct.org.uk. Holy Cross Centre Trust is at 71 Tonbridge Street, London WC1H 9DZ T. 020 7278 4437 Visit the HCCT website and see what else is on offer: www.hcct.org.uk/
Growing and Learning The Recovery College is a stepping stone back into life, and we encourage students to branch out and consider what other opportunities might appeal to them. Camden is rich in the number and variety of adult education courses offered and whether you want to learn new handicrafts, train to be a counsellor or brush up your maths with a view to starting a small business there is lots on offer. They also have student welfare officers and can offer you support and advice to help you achieve what you want to, and to deal with any challenges that arise. Here are some of the other places that you might
consider moving on to, with links to their propsectuses. The Working Men's College on Crowndale Road http://www.wmcollege.ac.uk/ The City Lit http://www.citylit.ac.uk/ City and Islington College http://www.candi.ac.uk/adults/adult-guide Camden Adult Learning http://www.camden.gov.uk/adultlearningttp:// Mary Ward Centre http://www.marywardcentre.ac.uk/
1 to 1 Support to Get Back to Work Hillside Clubhouse is a partner in Mental Health Working, a partnership between Remploy and Twining Enterprise to provide specialist education, training and employment support service for local people with mental health problems. Hillside has a dedicated employment support worker now also based part time at the Recovery College. People referred will be able to receive focused one to one support, Clubhouse membership (including practical work experience on the Clubhouse’s Workday Programme), access to training opportunities, work placements and job vacancies. Once people become Clubhouse members they also have access to all other Clubhouse supports including our Recovery Project which provides support and help with practical problems and therapeutic support. The Clubhouse’s approach has been highly successful in enabling people with mental health problems into work and helps keep people well! If you are interested in having a chat about the possibilities for you, please contact Matt Pocknell, Employment Support Team Manager M: 07908 191 781 T: 020 7700 6408 E: mpocknell@hillsideclubhouse.org.uk www.hillsideclubhouse.org.uk
Hoarding Disorder Hoarding Disorder is now recognises as a distinct condition since the 2013 edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMV), This is essentially a catalogue of all the conditions and has been published since 1952 with regular revisions as research and knowledge throw up new information. It
is an American publication, but it is used internationally. The previous edition listed Hoarding as a subset of OCD, but research by Dr Alberto Pertusa and others has shown that it exists in its own right and is common amongst people with no trace of OCD at all. The World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases ICD-10 does not even mention hoarding, but it is planned to be included in ICD-11. Sadly, discussions indicate that it will be as a subset of OCD despite evidence to the contrary. The DSMV principle diagnostic criteria for Hoarding Disorder is: A. Persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of the value others may attribute to these possessions. B. This difficulty is due to strong urges to save items and/or distress associated with discarding C. The symptoms result in the accumulation of a large number of possessions that fill up and clutter active living areas of the home or workplace to the extent that their intended use is no longer possible. If all living areas are uncluttered, it is only because of the interventions of third parties (e.g., family members, cleaners, authorities). D. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning (including maintaining a safe environment for self and others). In simpler terms, if you have so much stuff that it interferes with using your spaces as they were intended to be used, you might be a hoarder. E.g. Can people sit on your sofa without you having to excavate it? Can you use your bath or is it full of car parts? Is that your cooker there? Yes, the square thing under the... um.... laundry pile?? This is a significant impairment to social functioning. You might call it living in C.H.A.O.S. – Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome! The impairment to functioning and the recognition of Hoarding Disorder as a mental condition means that it is also recognised as a disability. The definition of “disabled” under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. Also within the context of the new Care Act 2014 we will have the category of self-neglect recognised as a safeguarding matter. Sadly, there is a huge amount of stigma around hoarding which has
in reasonable condition on the following subjects: Mental Health conditions and their management, Psychology, Self Help, Therapies, Psychiatry, and Personal Development. Due to limited space we cannot accept all books, but anything that falls within the above categories would be much appreciated. Please leave donations at Reception with a note marked “For the Librarian”. If you are unsure if we can use the books you are looking to donate, you can email Recoverycollegelibrary@gmail.com to enquire.
Camden Prevention Challenge not been helped by some of the exploitative TV programmes which shame and condemn people for living in “filth”. Hoarding is not the same as being unhygienic, although having tons of stuff may make it harder to clean. Some hoarders are quite organised in fact, and might just be collectors until the collection starts to take over the space so that they cannot move freely, at which point we may conclude that all sense and self control has been lost! The causes of hoarding behaviours are complex, but a common feature is past loss or great trauma. Housing providers have not always looked kindly upon hoarders, fuelled by the extreme cases that feature in the media, but hopefully the recognition of hoarding disorder as a real condition rather than just bad behaviour will help change approaches. The Recovery College is developing a course for mutual learning, peer encouragement, building family understanding, supporters, professionals exploring the complex and challenging topic. If you are interested please fill in the online registration or send us an email.
The Recovery College Library The library opening times are: 10am-1pm and 1:30pm-4pm Monday to Friday, excluding Wednesdays Come and see reception with a photo ID, a spare passport photo and proof of address to get a library membership card issued. Our first ‘reading together’ book club starts on Friday 1st May 2015; 2pm-3pm. After this date it will be every first Friday of the month unless it falls into half term breaks.
BOOK DONATIONS The Recovery college Library is happy to accept books
Radical change is afoot! Great conversations have been taking place about the future of mental health services in Camden, and there have been some excellent brainstorming meetings where service users and professionals from across the board have come up with briliant ideas and thenworked together to see what actually would work. The conversation continues and Camden really wants to know what woudl help you, and how best to spend the money allocated to achieve the best results. You can email Richard Elphick, Strategic Commissioner for Mental Health directly, or you can join in the conversation in the public forum at http://www.wearecamden.org/mentalhealth/ You have to create a log –in (but this is very simple to do), and then you can comment on all the ideas that have been had so far and also add your own. Very many thanks to Camden for having such an openly transparent and democratic process . We think this is very much in line with Recovery principles , and long may the dialogue continue!
Recommended Websites www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ If you are claiming benefits this site is invaluable. There is a lot of free information but the real life-saving stuff in in the members section. If you sign up for the free newsletter first then there is usually a discount offer for claimants within it. I have helped many people with theier claims over the years and I know of no better site. Please support them. https://www.bigwhitewall.com/ Big White Wall is a virtual friend and palce to sound off. If you enter a Camden postcode when you sign up then it is free to use. Check it out and design a brick for the wall. http://www.choiceandmedication.org/cnwl/ This is a grea site about medication. If you want to talk to someone about your medication remember you can always ask to have a chat with a local pharmacist. They are usually
happy to oblige.
What is Your Experience of
If you could make a 5 year plan for your life, and were guaranteed that it would be successful, what steps would you put in it?
Crisis Care in Camden? UCL Partners have been commissioned by Camden CCG to review how mental health patients access crisis care when they need urgent help. If you have expereince of mental health crisis in Camden either for yourself or in helping someone else, please share your experiences by writing to the research team. Contact Sapna. Patel@uclpartners.com
Some Other Organisations Offering Interesting Things to Do The Stuart Low Trust Core Arts
www.slt.org.uk/ www.corearts.co.uk/
CoolTan Arts www.cooltanarts.org.uk/ Voiceability www.voiceability.org/ Spiritual Crisis Network http://spiritualcrisisnetwork.uk/
Courses in the Summer Term Assertiveness for All Better Money Management
The Recovery College Library The reference library and reading room at the Recovery College is open to all. We hold a small but expanding collection of books, and each one has been recommended by someone as being of particular value. The library includes:
Building Healthy Relationships
Autobiographies by famous people who have mental health diagnoses
Confident to Work - Session 1
Classic Self Help books
Co-Production Creating a Wellbeing plan -(via tree of life) Understanding Drug and Alcohol Use Getting a good night's Sleep Health and Wellbeing Hoarding Introduction to Anxiety Introduction to Recovery Mental Health Tribunals Mindfulness Recovering fromr Abuse for Women Service User Involvement
Psychology books Novels with a mental health theme Books that are uplifting, inspiring and motivating Books about specific mental health conditions Books that give strategies to help you manage your life We have chosen not to install a security system and instead operate the library on a trust system because the ethos of The Recovery College is that we are here to help and support each other and TRUST is an important value within the college community. PC's running Windows 7 are available free for use.
Storytelling & Narratives
Come and see us at 4 St Pancras Way, London NW1 0PE or enrole online.
Train the Trainer
HOPE : OPPORTUNITY : CONTROL
Tree of Life
www.candi.nhs.uk/recoverycollege/
Understanding Psychosis
recovery.college@candi.nhs.uk
Stigma and discrimination