Attended 3 day course on "train the trainer".
Approach by 2 co-facilitators seemed to be positive...always positive, almost to the point of being patronizing.
Halfway through the course, it became apparent that 2 of the attendees (out of I think total 16) were fulltime staff specialising in communications skills and declared mental health problems. This in itself seemed fine. What felt concerning was that they had not attended any previous recovery college courses, which was a clearly stipulated criterion in the college prospectus to be accepted onto the course. All other 14 atendees had declared mental health problems and had previously attended minimum 3 courses.
So, one was leaft with a feeling that there is an advertised ethos when in reality the recovery college does not treat service users as equals to "professional" staff...only when it privately suits the recovery college fulltime staff.
I did politely point this anomaly out to the co-facilitators in front of the whole class when it did become apparent. The co-facilitators politely responded in a positive re-inforcing manner so as to smoothly change the subject without admitting that there was any inherent issue.
Skills were learnt during the course. Positive reinforcements were consistently offered to participants. Fun was had at times.
Unfortunately the bad taste about underlying inequality meant I never engaged with the recovery college after this.
Previously I had attended several 2 hour or one day courses which ranged from very average to quite interesting.
Quite possibly my experience on this course was a one-off, never to be repeated. But I'll never know. It's 30 months later now. Maybe the recovery college has changed its approach.
But I am put off for life. The college had 3 clear principles: hope, opportunity, control. My negative connotation in the above experience is that there I had no hope of equal treatment; I did not have equal opportunity; when I feel betrayed by the discrepancy between stated and actual criteria depending on my background, then I don't feel in control.
On a cursory level, the Recovery College speaks a good speak. Unfortunately, under the microscope, I question its motives.
"South eastern trust recovery college"
About: South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust / Wellness Recovery Network South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust Wellness Recovery Network Lisburn BT28 3BP
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Update posted by Powerless (a staff member posting for a patient/service user) 3 years ago
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