Nottingham Recovery Education Centre. Student Handbook

�Hope�Control

�Opportunity

Nottingham RecoveryEducation Centre

Student

Handbook

Welcome to our new anddeveloping Recovery EducationCentre. If you are reading this, Ihope that you are consideringtaking a course to develop yourskills and understanding... totake you closer to achieving yourgoals and ambitions... to enableyou to look after yourself andsupport others... to discover whoyou can be and learn the skills orunderstanding to do what onlyyou can do.

All of the courses provided inthe Centre are designed tocontribute towards wellbeingand Recovery.

A warm

Recovery Contents

A warm welcome to yourRecovery Education Centrefrom the Director: JulieRepper

Recovery Values What is recovery all about?

What is the RecoveryEducation Centre?

Who is the RecoveryEducation Centre for?

What does the RecoveryEducation Centre do?

Where is the RecoveryEducation Centre?

Frequently Asked Questions

Student Union

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welcome to your

Education Centre

from the Director: Julie Repper

People who share experiences ofmental health challenges teachon courses – intending to inspireHOPE and embody Recovery.Courses are designed to help youto develop skills, understandingand CONTROL of yourchallenges. They are all aboutputting you in the driving seatof your life: helping you toidentify your goals andambitions and giving you theconfidence, skills and support toaccess OPPORTUNITIES.

This is just the beginning… thereare plans and hopes to developmore and more courses. If you

would like to suggest a course oroffer to contribute, please get intouch with me. I very much lookforward to developing ourCentre together.

Student Handbook 3

Hope

Control

Opportunity

“We are all on a journey

of recovery”

4 Nottingham Recovery Education Centre

Recovery Values

What is recovery all about?

5Student Handbook

know ourselves best, and in thelong run it is up to us to takecare of ourselves and manageour ups and downs.

Hope is the heart of recovery,we can’t live without our heartsand we need hope to move usforward. Hope is knowing thatpositive change is possible andthat just because things cansometimes feel a bit stuck, itdoes not mean that this is apermanent state.

We are all on a journey ofrecovery. Going through difficultemotional times is part of beinghuman. Some of us will go tohospital, receive a diagnosis andtake medication. This canchange our lives in many waysand recovering from thisexperience can sometimes seemoverwhelming.

Travelling from diagnosis andtreatment towards a life that wefeel is meaningful and satisfyingcan take a lot of courage and,like all journeys, can be easier inthe company of others who cantruly understand and support.

Recovery from mental illness is alearning curve - we have gooddays, which we celebrate, andbad days, which we can learnfrom. Over time we become anexpert on our experiences.

Recovery involves two sorts ofexperts, the professional andyou. Professionals can guide usduring tough times. We all


Control comes from realisingthat you are the expert, havinglearnt from your experiences,knowing what helps you andwho encourages you.

Opportunity to explore ourstrengths and talents, to workwith those who care about usand to meet new people,contribute to our wellness andthe wider community. None ofus can do this by ourselves butthis is what makes us uniquelyhuman.

What is the Recovery

Education Centre?

The Recovery Education Centrehopes to support people inrecognising and making the mostof talents and resources inbecoming experts in self care - indealing with the mental healthchallenges people experience,and to do the things people wantto do in life.

The Centre aims to:

• Provide a base for recoveryresources

• Promote an educational andcoaching model in supportingpeople to become experts in selfcare on their recovery journey

• To break down barriersbetween ‘us’ and ‘them’ byoffering training sessions run for and by people withexperience of mental healthchallenges and people withexperience by profession

The Recovery Education Centrealso has a library of many andvaried recovery resources -including books, DVDs, leafletsand internet access. All coursesand use of the resource libraryare currently free of charge.

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We can all learn from each otherso all of the courses provided inthe Centre are open to you ifyou are an adult and:

•You have personal experience of mental health challenges

•You care about people with mental health challenges

•You are a member of staff in mental health services

There are no formal “entryrequirements” but people doneed to book on a course toattend – using the coursebooking form found with the

course information.People do not needto commit to attending aset number of opportunities –people can book for as many oras few as is right for them.

The Recovery Education Centrewants everyone to feel thatthere is something that will behelpful and interesting, socourses run at various levels andfor different time periods. Allcourses build on people’sexisting strengths and aredesigned to meet people’sindividual goals.

�Hope�Cont

rol

�Opportu

nityWho is the Recovery

Education Centre for?

What does the Recovery

Education Centre do?

The Recovery Education Centreoffers courses, seminars andworkshops on a range ofrecovery focused topics andprovides a library resource ofinformation for people to use.

Courses offer opportunities todiscover understanding ofmental health challenges, thejourney of recovery and thehope that taking more controlcan bring.

Across four programmes, coursesoffer variety in content, lengthand learning.•Understanding experience of mental health issues, treatment and options

•Rebuilding your life with mental health issues and challenges

•Developing skills•Getting involved

Courses are offered throughworkshops, short courses orwhole term opportunities –across week days with the hopeof offering opportunities in theevenings and at weekends.

The Centre’s courses are offeredover three terms each lastingaround 12 weeks.

Summer Term: 3 May 2011 - 24 June 2011

Autumn Term: 3 October 2011 -16 December 2011

Spring Term: 16 January 2012 -16 March 2012

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Where is the Recovery

Education Centre?

Some of the courses will beoffered within the friendly andwelcoming base at “Amity”… asthe Recovery Education Centredevelops more courses, some willbe offered from othercommunity venues. On bookinga course you will always beadvised where the course runsfrom so you can make the choiceabout what is right for you. Seethe “Courses” booklet foropportunities currently on offer.

The library, available for peopleto use, is also at 702 MansfieldRoad, Sherwood, Nottingham,NG5 3FW.

The Recovery Education Centrehas a base at “Amity” 702Mansfield Road, Sherwood,Nottingham, NG5 3FW. 702Mansfield Road is next toWoodthorpe Park. It is close toSherwood Shopping Centrewhere there is plenty of parking;and is on the main bus route.


By now we’re sure you must bethinking that this RecoveryEducation Centre sounds prettyinteresting. However, you mightbe burning with questions thatyou’ll need an answer to beforeyou decide to come along.We’ve tried to answer a few ofthem below…

Q: I don’t like reading orwriting, can I still come?A: Of course! There are coursesfor everybody and lots of waysto join in like talking, listeningor ‘just being present’. The lastthing we want is for people tofeel uncomfortable on ourcourses so we will do our bestto help in any way you need.

Q: Who will I be learningwith?A: Each course will have amaximum of about 10 peopleand they all will be on thecourses for similar reasons. Theymay share the same hopes andworries as everybody else.

Frequently Asked

Questions

More Q

+As

overleaf

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Q: I hated school, how isthis different?

A: We were made to go toschool, coming to the RecoveryEducation Centre is completelyyour choice. You are an equal,not a pupil. We hope you’llenjoy it but if you don’t want tostay you can leave at any time.

Q: What happens if I can’tcome every time?A: That’s fine, life happens,boilers break, the bus doesn’tturn up or you need some timeout. Just come along again whenyou feel ready and let us know if you need any extra support.

Q: How many courses can I do?A:As many as you like but you’vegot all the time in the world,maybe try one or two to beginwith and take it from there.

Q: What will it cost me?A: All the courses are free to book. The only thing you’ll be paying for is transport.

Q: Is there food available?A: Sorry, we don’t sell food in thebuilding but feel free to bring apacked lunch or buy food fromthe nearby shops. You can buy teaand coffee from the Centre.


Q: I can’t manage stairs can I still come?A: Of course, the Centre isaccessible and if you think youmight welcome some help just let us know.

Q: What happens when I finisha course?A: It’s up to you! Take anotheror take a break and enjoyeverything our student unionplans to offer.

Q: What’s in it for me?A: So much! Where do we start?It’s new, it’s exciting and

different. The courses will beinteresting and useful. You’re incontrol of your learning, do asmuch or as little as you feel ableto. Make new friends and enjoythe student union! The unionplans to offer lots of differentsocial groups, you can join orstart your own. If your friendsand family want to get involvedthey’ll be welcome.

Q: How can I get involved?A: Finish flicking through thishandbook and fill out the shortbooking form.

Q: I’ve still got a thousandmore questions to ask... Whatshould I do?A: Don’t worry, we lovequestions. If you have use of theinternet then you can emailquestions [email protected] and we’ll reply assoon as we can. Alternatively ifyou’re in the area drop in to theCentre on Mansfield Road, we’dlove to meet you.

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We are developing a StudentUnion for the RecoveryEducation Centre.

If you would like to join thestudent union or find outmore please contact Liz Walkerby [email protected] phone/text 07917 232919.

We really look forward tohearing from you.

Student Union


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A big thanks goes to everyonewho has helped to develop theRecovery Education Centre – andeveryone who continues to helpus on this exciting journey.Special thanks go to the artistswho have kindly givenpermission to use their work inthis handbook and the coursedetails accompanying it.

For more details about the artwork (including how to buyoriginal works) please contactPenny Coulson [email protected]

Thank you

A final reminder

You can book courses by completing abooking form (see details of courses

published separately) and sending it to:Julie Swann

Social Inclusion and Wellbeing TeamThe Ivy Suite

Adult Mental Health Highbury Hospital

Highbury RoadNottingham

NG6 9DR

Email your booking request to:[email protected]

Phone Julie Swann on 0115 956 0802 whereshe or a colleague will take your details.

Drop in to 702 Mansfield Road, Sherwood,Nottingham, NG5 3FW and pick up a form

to fill in and leave with the reception.

We look forward to

welcoming you

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

NHSPositive about mental health and learning disability

Documents

Nottingham Recovery Education Centre. Student Handbook