Ayrshire College and the RAMH North Ayrshire Wellbeing and Recovery College are celebrating the formalisation of their long-standing partnership with news that the Recovery College has relocated to Ayrshire College’s Kilwinning Campus.
Funded by North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership (HSCP), The Recovery College focuses on self-management for mental health, providing a strengths-based approach to learning and recovery. It offers educational courses to support mental, physical and emotional wellbeing in shared learning environments in the community
Its relocation to Ayrshire College’s Kilwinning Campus builds on a strong working relationship between the two organisations established over many years to offer educational opportunities to individuals in recovery, as well as those seeking to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
A launch event last month was attended by key figures, including members of Ayrshire College’s senior management team, Recovery College leadership team, service partners, staff, students and peer volunteers.
Julie Barrett, Lead for Mental Health Services in North Ayrshire, who spoke at the event, said: “The RAMH Recovery College has been an essential service for North Ayrshire, delivering knowledge, skills, connection, and engagement for individuals experiencing poor mental health or wellbeing.
“A new alliance with Ayrshire College feels like the perfect next step. Those accessing the Recovery College already identified themselves as 'students' on their own learning journey and working within and alongside Ayrshire College will bring great opportunities for the RAMH Recovery College, but also for Ayrshire College itself."
The Recovery College, which is one of only six such services in Scotland, is delivered and staffed by the mental health charity RAMH (Recovery Across Mental Health). It was established six years ago and is open to anyone aged 16 and over who lives, works or studies in North Ayrshire.
Doreen Wales, Assistant Principal of Student Experience and Quality Enhancement at Ayrshire College, said: "Ayrshire College is proud to be working in partnership with the Recovery College and we are delighted that the Recovery College is now located within our Kilwinning Campus. We will continue to work collaboratively with the Recovery College to develop and deliver effective transition support, joint learning opportunities, and relevant progression pathways, which meet the needs of our students and our local communities."
By moving physically closer together, The Recovery College - which recently won Best Mental Health Support Service and Inspirational Manager at the Mental Health and Wellbeing Awards (Scotland) run by the Ajuda Foundation - aims to enhance the delivery of these programmes and further align with Ayrshire College. This move will provide students with a welcoming learning environment, state-of-the-art facilities and help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
As well raising awareness of the Recovery College with Ayrshire College students, its new home will also make it easier for them to access additional mental health support. Enhancing this partnership creates additional opportunities for collaboration between the organisations and the hope is that this will involve joint mental health campaigns too.
Jeanette Allan, Manager of the Recovery College, added: “The move to Ayrshire College has been a huge success for our students. It is great to see them use the Refectory, the Learning Resource Centre and feeling comfortable in a place designed for learning.
“We are already exploring joint initiatives with Ayrshire College, starting with upskilling our peer volunteers. These individuals, who have lived experience of mental health and recovery, co-deliver our courses. Starting in September, peer volunteers will have the opportunity to earn a Professional Development Award (PDA) in Mental Health Peer Support - the only course offering a peer qualification in Scotland. We look forward to further collaboration with Ayrshire College.”