CONTENTS. Welcome to the Belfast Recovery College 1. Meet the Team 2. What to expect at our courses 4

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1 CONTENTS Page Welcome to the Belfast Recovery College 1 Meet the Team 2 What to expect at our courses 4 Course Descriptions Living With and Learning About Me Living with Psychosis 5 Living with Autism in Adulthood 5 Introduction to Addictions 5 Living with Personality Disorder 6 Understanding Trauma 6 Living with Self Harm 7 Living with Anxiety 7 Living with Bi-Polar Disorder 7 Living with Depression 8 Exploring Attitudes to Mental Illness 8 Living with Schizophrenia 8 Skills, Self Care and Me Top Tips for Looking After Yourself Programme 9 Mindfulness 9 Compassion Fatigue 9 Looking After Your Physical Wellbeing 9 One Page Profiles 10 Do You Need Help to Quit Smoking? 10 Building Self Esteem 11 Journeys Through Discovery - Telling the Story of Your Experience 11 Getting the Most from Your Appointments 11 Developing Friendships and Social Support 11 Money Management Coaching 12 Creative Writing for Personal Development 12 Embedding Recovery in Day to Day Lives 12

2 CONTENTS Page Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) 13 Getting a Good Night s Sleep 13 Be Your Own Wellbeing Coach 13 Know How Introduction to Psychological Therapies 14 Understanding Medications 14 Learn More About Self Directed Support - Taking Control 14 Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments: How to Claim and How to Appeal 15 Giving and Getting Involved Recovery College Co-Facilitator s Course 16 Understanding Advocacy - OCN 16 (Open College Network Accredited) Level 2 Courses in Development 17 Steps to Enrol 18 Student Feedback 19

3 WELCOME Our Belfast Recovery College welcomes everyone to attend our free wellbeing and mental health education and learning programmes. There are a range of courses open to the community of Belfast. All you have to do is enrol! Valuing the combined lived experience of mental health and professional knowledge we co-produce courses to improve the wellbeing of people in the community of Belfast. Recovery College students include service users, families, friends, carers, staff and those with an interest in wellbeing and mental health. A peer educator with lived experience of mental health and a staff educator with knowledge of the subject area facilitate the workshops. Our ethos is strength based. So, we promote three key principles: Hope - continuing presence of hope that it is possible to pursue one s aspirations Control - the need to maintain a sense of control over one s life Opportunity - the importance of having the opportunity to build a life beyond illness. Learning together as students helps increase understanding of each other s journey in promoting recovery. You may find a course that interests you. Chairman Awards st Place - Belfast Recovery College 1

4 MEET THE TEAM Who s who at the Recovery College Helen Anderson Recovery College Coordinator T: Helen.Anderson@belfasttrust.hscni.net John Morgan Peer Learning & Education Facilitator T: JohnC.Morgan@belfasttrust.hscni.net Thomas Fisher Peer Learning & Education Facilitator T: Thomas.Fisher@belfasttrust.hscni.net 2

5 MEET THE TEAM Who s who at the Recovery College Lucinda Toal Recovery College Admin T: (Mon-Wed) RecoveryCollege@belfasttrust.hscni.net Sasha Stewart Recovery College Admin T: (Mon-Fri) RecoveryCollege@belfasttrust.hscni.net 3

6 WHAT TO EXPECT AT OUR COURSES The opportunity to learn together about an area of wellbeing and mental health The opportunity to hear and learn from the different perspectives shared by service users, carers, families, friends and staff Increased awareness of your own strengths and aspirations The chance to meet and interact with new people The opportunity to increase your knowledge, share journeys, learn new skills and work on being more hopeful about your own and others recovery. Journeys Through Discovery 4

7 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Living With and Learning About Me Living with Psychosis 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lives, such as Psychosis. This course will explore what Psychosis is? It will discuss the symptoms and causes of Psychosis as well as the range of treatment options available for this mental health condition. Psychosis will be discussed from both a lived experience and an educational perspective. The aim of the session is to gain or revise knowledge and understanding of psychosis, so that participants will reflect and engage positively in an individual s recovery journey. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Living with Autism in Adulthood Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) otherwise known as autism, affects 1.1% of the population in Northern Ireland. ASC is a developmental condition and will be present throughout a person s lifespan. Many individuals are now receiving a diagnosis in adulthood due to improved awareness of the condition and improved access to assessment services. This session will consider specifically, the adult experience of ASC; dispel the negative stereotypes of ASC; and highlight the value that individuals with the condition can bring to the world. A professional practitioner will explain the clinical features of ASC, which include difficulties with social communication, repetitive behaviours and restricted interests. A peer educator who received an adult diagnosis will reflect on what life has been like having the condition without knowing. The experience of the assessment process and post-diagnostic journey will be discussed. Supports available to adults with ASC (within the Belfast Trust area) and their families and carers will be identified. (Duration of course: 2 hrs) Introduction to Addictions This 5 hour course, running over 2 half day workshops, will cover discussions on aspects of alcohol and drug dependence under the following five topics: process of addiction, physical effects, psychological effects, social effects and change and recovery. (Duration of course: 5 hrs over 2 half days) 5

8 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Living With and Learning About Me (continued...) Living with Personality Disorder If you ve heard the term Personality Disorder from a Doctor, Psychiatrist or Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) you might be left wondering what it actually means. This workshop is aimed at helping service users, professionals and carers understand what is meant by personality disorder. We will look at some of the myths and misconceptions we might have as well as increasing awareness of the struggles of living with a personality disorder. We also want to give people a chance to learn about some of the treatment options for people who have a diagnosis and how to help someone you know who tells you they are living with a personality disorder. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Understanding Trauma In our everyday lives any of us can experience events that are overwhelming, frightening and beyond our control. We could find ourselves the victim of a personal assault or witness to a tragic event. This course will help you understand the normal responses to trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It will explore ways to help yourself cope or to help others by providing relevant support. (Duration of course: 2 hrs) Living with Self Harm This course aims to raise awareness and increase better understanding of self harm. This training will specifically consider myths and misconceptions around self harm, explore the idea of self harm as a communication of thoughts and feelings and what can be helpful to those who self harm. The course will also look at the motivation for changing self harming behaviours including developing alternative coping strategies. The course will be delivered by two tutors - one with lived experience of self harm and a practitioner with knowledge of self harm. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) 6

9 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Living With and Learning About Me (continued...) Living with Anxiety Most of us experience anxiety at some point in our lives. For many this is upsetting but manageable and related to real life situations or experiences and usually passes with time or as the situation resolves. For some people anxiety is constant, extreme and debilitating and it impacts significantly on quality of life. This course will explore: what anxiety is, the many forms it can take, and how it develops and is maintained. We also hope to explore a range of treatment options and self-help skills that may help people to lessen and manage anxiety. A practitioner with expertise in the subject area and a peer educator with lived experience of anxiety will bring their combined knowledge to students and will provide practical help in a supportive atmosphere. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Living with Bi-Polar Disorder Bi-Polar Affective Disorder is not just about experiencing the up s and down s of everyday life. Its about experiencing extreme high s and low s that seems to take on a life of their own, independent of events around you. This course will discuss the experience of living with Bi-Polar for students; its causes, triggers, treatment options and ways of preventing relapse. The aim is to help students to deal with the impact of this disorder on one s daily life. We shall try to address some of the questions you may have regarding this disorder. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) 7

10 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Living With and Learning About Me (continued...) Living with Depression Depression is increasingly common in today s society yet it is still greatly misunderstood and there remains a significant lack of awareness around it. Through this course we will discuss the definitions, signs and symptoms of depression and the negative views held against those living with it. We aim to dispel some of the myths around depression and provide information on where help and support can be found. We hope to provide a better understanding of the treatments on offer and how to maintain our wellbeing before, during and after symptoms. This course is open to all students, whether they are people with depression, families and carers or staff. Whatever your background, we hope you will find it a positive and empowering experience. We encourage you to share your thoughts and experience throughout the course, however even if you just want to listen, you are more than welcome. (Duration of course: 2 half day workshops x 3 hrs each) Exploring Attitudes to Mental Illness 9 in 10 people with mental illness experience negative attitudes from others which results in feelings of isolation and may even prevent people from seeking help. This 3 hour course will allow you to reflect and explore your own and others attitudes to mental illness. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Living with Schizophrenia Despite an estimated 1 in 100 experiencing the disorder called schizophrenia it is still misunderstood and surrounded by stigma. Through this course we will explore the definitions; the different impacts it may have and challenge the stigma around it. This course will address the experience of living with Schizophrenia, causes, treatments and how to prevent relapse. It will be discussed from lived and educational perspectives. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) 8

11 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Top Tips for Looking After Yourself Programme The Top Tips for Looking After Yourself programme has been co-produced to facilitate, enable and empower students and communities to build resilience and increase their self care. It aims to: Increase your own ability to become more aware of your own stress levels and emotional health Develop confidence, skills and self help to promote and protect your own emotional wellbeing Increase awareness/knowledge of support organisations available to students within the community. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Skills, Self Care and Me Mindfulness Mindfulness introduces people to meditation techniques and teaches lifelong skills that can be helpful for everyone in coping with the large and small stressors and struggles of everyday life. It is also useful for physical and mental health conditions. The taster sessions will give an insight into what the fuller 8 week Mindfulness course will be like. (Duration of course: 1.5 hrs per week for 6 weeks) Compassion Fatigue Self care is a key priority for anyone who cares for a vulnerable other; this might be a relative, friend or client. This course explores the impact of the caring role on yourself and how you can look after your own psychological and emotional needs. (Duration of course: 2 hrs) Looking After Your Physical Wellbeing This course will discuss the importance of maintaining good physical wellbeing for your mental health. Areas this course will cover include the body, exercise, eating well and how managing these can be of benefit to both your mental and emotional wellbeing. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) 9

12 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Skills, Self Care and Me (continued...) One Page Profiles A One Page Profile is a short introduction to a person, which captures key information on a single page which gives for example family friends or staff an understanding of the person and how best to support them. A One Page Profile typically consists of a photo of the person and tells us three things about the person: What people like and admire about the person - records gifts, qualities and strengths What is important to the person - lists what really matters to the person How to best support the person - details specific ways to provide the right support. A person may have more than one profile depending on the purpose of the profile for example they may have one which identifies what staff needs to know about them when they are at home or another for work or education but another for what people would need to know if that person went into hospital. A One Page Profile makes sure that important information is recorded on one page and lets others know what really matters to the person and how best to support them. This training is for everyone as everyone benefits from having a One Page Profile - whether you are a service user or provide direct support as a carer or staff member. This training offers you a way to both develop your own One Page Profile and learn how to develop them with others. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Do You Need Help to Quit Smoking? If you would like to find out more information on quitting smoking and living a happier and healthier lifestyle, this course is for you. This awareness raising course will provide you with what support is on offer and tell you about the use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Two trainers will co-facilitate this course, a quit smoking specialist and an individual with lived experience in quitting smoking. (Duration of course: 1.5hrs) 10

13 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Skills, Self Care and Me (continued...) Building Self Esteem Many of us struggle with self-esteem issues and self-confidence on a daily basis. This can hold us back and keep us stuck in a very isolated place. We tend to take our selfworth from others and their opinion of us instead of believing in our own value and worth as a unique individual. Please join us where we can all learn and develop skills and knowledge. You will be involved in conversations where you will feel comfortable in the course to understand how important it is to value yourself and not let others judgements of us hold us back. (Duration of course: 3 half day workshops x 3 hrs each) Journeys Through Discovery - Telling the Story of Your Experience Everyone has a story to tell and these contain the ups and downs of everyday life. But how often do we take time to pause and reflect on our own story or journey. This workshop will be of interest to anyone who wishes to develop themselves personally and professionally. By sharing stories and experiences we can inspire hope, take control and ultimately provide the opportunity to help ourselves and others in a safe learning environment. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Getting the Most from Your Appointments Making the most of the time you have in an appointment is important for service users, carers and staff. This course explores barriers to communication, how to prepare for appointments and how to maximise communication during the appointment. Using film clips to promote discussion this course is interactive and enjoyable. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Developing Friendships and Social Support A social support network is made up of friends, family and peers. It is comforting to know that people are around if needed for a phone call or a cup of coffee. Having a support network gives you a sense of belonging. This course will help you to consider how to build or improve your support network and relationships. Staff will find it useful to advise patients/clients in establishing a social support network. (Duration of course: 3.5 hrs) 11

14 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Skills, Self Care and Me (continued...) Money Management Coaching Managing your money can be challenging, and is often a source of worry for many people. This short course will explore strategies that we can all employ on a daily basis to help us manage our money more effectively. The course will look at the benefits of budget planning, and show participants how to compile a budget. The course will be interactive, and will aim to empower and enable participants adopt strategies and new habits that will hopefully improve their ability to manage money. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Creative Writing for Personal Development. The aim of this course is to enable, empower and connect students to positives within their recovery journey. Through the shared practical experience of writing exercises, relaxation, poetry and music students will gain an insight into living with their own recovery journey. It will be discussed from an educational and lived perspective. This course is open to those who want to work on Recovery or personal development and does not require any experience of creative writing. (Duration of course: 8 weeks at 2hrs per week) Embedding Recovery in Day to Day Lives Recovery is something worked towards and experienced by the person with mental illness. It is not something services can do to the person. The contribution of staff is to support the person in their journey towards recovery. This journey towards recovery is individual and the best way of supporting an individual s recovery varies from person to person. This course looks at how day to day decisions can impact on recovery and what each person can do for their own recovery and how to support others to do the same. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) 12

15 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Skills, Self Care and Me (continued...) Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) WRAP is a self management tool, designed to support people to understand and manage their mental health. WRAP can be used to help support people deal with challenging situations. This course will assist you to identify what wellness tools work best for you and help you establish your own personalised Wellness Recovery Action Plan. (Duration of course: 2 days) Getting a Good Night s Sleep Getting a good night s sleep is an important part of mental health recovery. This course will explore the benefits of getting a good night s sleep, what can prevent us from getting a good night s sleep and practical tips to help you get a good night s sleep. (Duration of course: 3 hours) Be Your Own Wellbeing Coach The course aims to empower all students to be in control of their own self-care.using a coaching ethos students will be enabled to create a Wellbeing Plan and work on developing their wellbeing. A flavour of the programme will include the following: All about me: knowing, remembering and understanding me; Taking control: my hopes, dreams and identifying opportunities; Managing me: Working on wellbeing and problem-solving through the ups and downs, Managing crisis and Taking back power. The course also aims to build our internal resources, decision-making skills and self-esteem. The course will be delivered by both Practitioners and Peer Educators. This course is currently being accredited under the Widening Access Programme with Queen s University Belfast. (Duration of course: 4 days). (For the accreditation option, a personal journal, attendance and an assignment will be required. All guidance will be given). 13

16 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Know How Introduction to Psychological Therapies Different styles of therapy can suit different individuals, situations and times, so further information may help to make the best choice. Staff who attend may want a better understanding of psychological therapies for themselves, or to help when considering a referral to psychological therapies for someone they are working with. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Understanding Medications Are you or someone you know or help affected by medications for treating mental health issues? Would you like to know more about common side effects and what may help? If you have answered yes, or would simply like to increase your knowledge of this area you are invited to come along to our course on understanding medications. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) Learn More about Self Directed Support - Taking Control Self Directed Support (SDS) is the new way the Trusts will be providing Social Services. This workshop will give you information about the range of options available to you such as a Direct Payments, a managed budget, the Trust choosing and arranging a service on your behalf or a mixture of all three. Come along and learn from those who already use SDS. (Duration of course: 2 hrs) 14

17 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Know How (continued...) Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments: How to Claim and How to Appeal (EBIAC - East Belfast Independent Advice Centre in partnership with the Belfast Recovery College) Are you or someone you care for in receipt of Employment Support Allowance? Have you claimed this benefit and been turned down? Are you considering a claim for this benefit? Are you currently in receipt of Disability Living Allowance? Have you heard that Personal Independence Payment is replacing Disability Living Allowance? Do you think that you might have an entitlement to Personal Independence Payment? If you have answered yes to any of these questions and you would like to know more about these benefits then this course is for you. There have been many changes to benefits in recent years leaving everyone confused. This course will explain the criteria of entitlement to these benefits, the process for claiming and the appeals process if you are turned down. It will also outline the support that is available from advice services. (Duration of course: 3 hrs) 15

18 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Giving and Getting Involved Recovery College Co-Facilitator s Course This course is aimed at developing training and facilitation skills to enable Co-Facilitators (Recovery College Staff Educators and Peer Educators) to develop the skills to run a workshop within the Recovery College. You will cover how people learn, group facilitation skills, how to develop a lesson plan, training methods, practical skills of using training equipment eg. projectors, co-production and codelivery of courses /workshops. You will also learn about designing a course that embeds the underpinning principles of Recovery - Hope, Control and Opportunity and the Belfast Recovery College ethos of Learning Together. You will be required to co-deliver a co-produced 30 minute session in the course. The course is accredited to Level 3 in Training and Education from TQUK Awards. (Duration of course: 4 days) Understanding Advocacy OCN (Open College Network accredited) Level 2 - Inspire Mental Health in Partnership with the Belfast Recovery College and the Irish Advocacy Network This course aims to help us understand the basic principles and the process of advocacy whether it is for advocating for yourself or acting as an advocate. The course will look at the effect of disempowering experiences on an individual s life and the positive impact the advocacy process can have for individual s and for staff. You will learn the communication and assertiveness skills required to be a good advocate and what types of support individuals need to express themselves. A good relationship in the advocacy process is key so you will learn how to develop an advocacy partnership, know how it differs from other relationships and how to recognise and manage conflict situations. (Duration of course: 3 days plus a taster session) 16

19 COURSES IN DEVELOPMENT Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments: How to Claim and How to Appeal Voice Hearing Committee Skills / Running and Maintaining Groups Living with Schizophrenia Building Healthy Relationships Living with OCD Be Your Own Wellbeing Coach Living with Loss The above courses are currently in co-production, but if you are interested, please contact the Recovery College via or telephone to register your interest. Once a date is available, we will contact you to let you know. 17

20 STEPS TO ENROL Contact the Recovery College to request our enrolment form by either or phone: E: or T: Once you have completed the enrolment form and returned it to us, you will be a student of the Recovery College. (You will only have to complete this form once). You can notify us of courses you wish to attend by either or telephone. There is no need to complete the enrolment form again. We will send you a reminder text/letter/ before your course is due to begin. If you are unable to attend please let us know ASAP so another student can take the place! 18

21 STUDENT FEEDBACK I would encourage any friends, family or carers to attend these sessions. You are in a friendly, non judgemental environment with people who have seen it all and helped countless people through what is happening to you and those you love. I found it helped me understand the thought process and the stages the addict goes through. The effect different substances had on the body and brain - scary stuff was explained in language I could understand. There are people who can help you through this difficult time when you don t know what to do or say for the best. It s up to you to take this opportunity, you won t be disappointed. Really excellent, tutors were very friendly, respectful, informative and genuine and honest when they weren t sure about something and then asked for clarification. Tutors were very articulate. This was a very useful opportunity to take time out to reflect on my experiences as a social worker and carer. 19

22 RECOVERY COLLEGE COURSES These courses are advertised on the following websites: well b... u matter

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