The McGowan Government, as part of its Recovery College election commitment, has invested $3.6 million in the establishment of Western Australia's first Recovery College.
The Mental Health Commission has appointed HelpingMinds to lead the project, partnered with a group of organisations to roll out the Recovery College across Western Australia, meaning it will be accessible to people in regional areas.
The Western Australian Recovery College will be person centred and complement existing mental health, alcohol and other drug support services. It will enable self-directed recovery, and mental health, alcohol and other drug learning opportunities in a safe and welcoming place.
The curriculum and courses will be co-designed and co-delivered by people with lived experience of mental health, alcohol and other drug issues as a consumer, family member or carer, and professionals.
Courses will be available to anyone wanting to learn more about improving mental health, and issues related to alcohol and other drug use.
The college will operate using a hub and satellite design which will be progressively rolled out across the State at the following locations:
- Perth Hub, as well as north, south and east Perth metropolitan locations (commencing 2020);
- Kimberley (commencing 2020) - three proposed locations in Broome, Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing;
- Pilbara (commencing 2020) - four proposed locations in Karratha, Hedland, the Shire of Ashburton and Shire of East Pilbara; and
- Planning underway for the Mid-west, Wheatbelt, Goldfields, South-West and Great Southern.
It is anticipated course co-design will commence soon with the first courses available in the hub and at selected satellite sites in the second half of 2020.
HelpingMinds offers a number of mental health services across Western Australia and in the Northern Territory, including counselling, education and workshops, peer support, and advocacy.
The first Recovery College was established in London in 2010. There are now more than 75 successfully established across the United Kingdom and other parts of the world including in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong.
For more information on the Recovery College, visit http://www.mhc.wa.gov.au/recoverycolleges
As stated by Mental Health Minister Roger Cook:
"The Western Australian Recovery College will provide a location for the whole community to come together to learn and share knowledge about mental health, including consumers, carers, families, clinicians and interested community members.
"By delivering this election commitment, the McGowan Government are providing the opportunity for people to learn and apply that knowledge to their own experiences and recovery journey. It means they can be an active, informed participant in their own mental health and wellbeing.
"It will be fantastic to see several non-government organisations come together to operate this State-wide Recovery College. I look forward to seeing the first courses open to the public next year."
