Recovery College Student Survey

The following questions come from the RECOLLECT fidelity measure for Recovery Colleges. This Checklist is designed to evaluate how close your Recovery College is to our best understanding of an ideal Recovery College, in order to help with further development. Please choose the answer that best matches your experience.

Question Title

* 1. Valuing equality

The contributions and assets of students, trainers (peers, clinicians, external) and other staff are equally valued. No one is judged or treated differently because of their background or mental health difficulties.

I am treated like a patient.

I feel somewhat like a 'patient' in the Recovery College: judged and treated differently because of my mental health difficulties. I do not feel my voice is valued during courses and do not feel respected by trainers and other staff.

I am welcomed but sometimes treated differently.

I feel welcomed in the Recovery College and do not feel discriminated against. There is a clear difference in my relationships with Recovery College staff and with other students. Sometimes I feel left out by staff or that it’s difficult to talk one-to-one with them if they’re busy.

I am treated with respect and my views are valued.

I am welcomed as a person, not a patient. I am treated with respect and dignity. I feel that my voice and views are as valuable as everyone else's (students, trainers, other staff). Trainers demonstrate patience and understanding of my values and uniqueness.

What could make Sussex Recovery College an even better place to learn and grow?

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* 2. Learning

Recovery Colleges follow an adult education approach whereby students and trainers collaborate and learn from each other by sharing experiences, knowledge and skills. Students have responsibility for their learning and learn through interactive and reflective exercises. Students gain self-awareness, understanding of their difficulties and practical, relevant self-management skills. Students choose courses which best suit their interests and aspirations.

I am told information rather than actively learning or sharing my own ideas.

I have a passive learning experience where I am 'taught' and given information rather than actively learning. I am not invited to 'get involved', for example by sharing my experience/ideas or taking part in group exercises. I do not feel there is a dialogue between the students so that we can learn from each other. What I learn is not particularly relevant to me or useful for self-managing my difficulties.

I occasionally contribute my ideas but don’t learn from other students.

I learn from Peer Trainers and ‘professionals’. However, students are only occasionally invited to contribute their experience and ideas, and so do not have much opportunity to learn from each other. The learning could be more interactive and everyone more involved. I value the knowledge I gain but I do not necessarily learn practical skills which I can use to support myself in everyday life.

I feel fully involved in the learning and my ideas are valued by everyone.

I learn from other students, Peer Trainers and ‘professionals’. I believe that all of the trainers are skilled at sharing their knowledge and expertise in an educational way. I experience active and collaborative learning. I am given lots of time to speak. My experience and ideas are invited and valued, and all students learn from one another. The things I learn are relevant, practical and allow me to manage my life better.

What could make Sussex Recovery College an even better place to learn and grow?

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* 3. Tailored to the student

Recovery Colleges don’t offer a one-size-fits-all experience. Students’ individual needs are actively enquired about and accommodated during courses (e.g. personalised online materials, translated text, materials adapted for learning difficulties). Their needs outside the course are also accommodated (e.g. buddy service, online access support, individual learning plans).

I am not provided with support for my personal needs.

I am provided with the same level of support as everyone else both during and outside the classes. Staff do not actively ask about or make it easy to express my personal needs, or they do not address my needs if they are aware of them.

I am provided with some support for personal needs, but not as much as I’d like.

I have opportunities to express my individual needs but receive only moderate support for them. I receive some learning materials and self- management tools that are personalised for my own development but not as many as I’d like.

I am provided with lots of support for my personal needs.

The college is very accommodating and I receive lots of individualised support if I need it. I have access to a range of personalised online materials.

What could make Sussex Recovery College an even better place to learn and grow?

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* 4. Co-production of the Recovery College

People with lived experience (Peer Trainers and students) are brought together with professionals and subject experts to design and deliver all aspects of the Recovery College. This includes collaborative decision-making about the prospectus, courses, college policies, staff recruitment, advertising, etc., as well as the co-design and co-delivery of all courses by a Peer Trainer and other subject-expert.

Only some of the courses I attend are delivered by a Peer Trainer and someone else. I am not asked to be involved in decision-making about running the Recovery College.

I am also not asked about the content of courses, and I am not actively invited to give feedback at the end of courses.

Most or all of the courses I attend are delivered by a Peer Trainer and someone else. I am sometimes involved in decisions about the running of the Recovery College.

I am also asked for my feedback at the end of courses. I am sometimes invited to help make decisions about the design and running of the Recovery College (helping to design the prospectus, decide on new courses etc.).

All of the courses I attend are delivered by a Peer Trainer and someone else. I can be regularly involved in shaping how the college is run.

I am also fully aware of a range of ways in which I can get involved in the college’s decision- making and feel that my views are as important as staff views.

What could make Sussex Recovery College an even better place to learn and grow?

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* 5. Social connectedness

Both the culture and the online environment of the college provide students with opportunities to develop connections with others. The learning space is relaxed, and trainers recognise and cater for social needs of students, e.g. organising exercises and breaks in courses, and opportunities outside of courses, for students to chat, share experiences and develop friendships.

The college feels clinical and there are no opportunities to relax and socialise.

The atmosphere of the Recovery College and online classrooms feels clinical. The courses are focused on learning rather than including time for students to chat and get to know one another. There are no opportunities for students to relax and socialise in chat rooms outside of the courses.

The college feels welcoming. Some courses provide to relax and socialise and there is time, in courses, to get to know each other.

There is time, during courses, to get to know other students. Whenever possible, we are given chances to socialise and share our experiences (e.g. ice-breaker exercises, chat room breaks).

The college feels relaxed and I have time to get to know other students during courses.

The college and courses are organised so that I have time and opportunity to get to know other students and make friends. The college provides the means to socialise through chat rooms and break-out rooms.

What could make Sussex Recovery College an even better place to learn and grow?

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* 6. Community focus

Recovery Colleges engage with community organisations (e.g. mental health charities, artistic/sporting groups) and Further Education colleges to co-produce relevant courses. The college provides students with online information, handouts and events which support students' pathways into valued activities, roles, relationships and support in the community.

No courses are delivered by community organisations. The college does not give me any information about getting involved with or supported by organisations in the community.

I have not attended any courses which are delivered by community organisations. I am not signposted to relevant community organisations for support or active involvement.

Some courses are delivered by community organisations and I have been signposted to community organisations for support or activities.

I have attended one or more courses which are delivered by community organisations. I am signposted to relevant community organisations for support or to get involved in activities but I am not aware of any formal opportunities to move from the college to being in a community organisation, such as volunteering.

Lots of courses are delivered by community organisations and I am aware of how I can be supported to move from the college to being in a community organisation for ongoing support or activity.

I attend several courses which are delivered by community organisations and I am able to access pathways from the college to a community organisation for ongoing support or as a volunteer or other role.

What could make Sussex Recovery College an even better place to learn and grow?

Question Title

* 7. Commitment to recovery

Recovery College workers talk with conviction and enthusiasm about the service and are dedicated to students' recovery. There is a positive energy in the college and its activities, based on shared values about the recovery principles on which the college is based.

Staff are polite, but they are not overly passionate about recovery.

I feel that the staff are polite, but they are not overly passionate or engaged, either about the courses or about my recovery.

Staff are enthusiastic about recovery.

I feel that the staff are enthusiastic and engaged, but no more so than staff in other mental health services that I use. Recovery College staff may be passionate about the course content but not about my recovery.

Staff are passionate and dedicated to recovery.

I feel that the staff are passionate, inspirational and dedicated to recovery and the Recovery College. More so than in other mental health services that I use, staff believe in what they are doing. Staff care and go the extra mile.

What could make Sussex Recovery College an even better place to learn and grow?