Frequently asked questions

Find out more about Jersey Recovery College

Are our courses for you?

Recovery College courses are open to people in Jersey who are experiencing mental health difficulties, as well as their relatives, friends, carers and the professionals who support them. They provide the opportunity to learn more about mental health, recovery, and tools for managing wellbeing. Each semester we include courses with a focus on supporting loved ones who are experiencing mental health difficulties, enhancing knowledge and insight into what your loved one is going through, and courses that will help you look after yourself too. Our courses are also open to professionals and are a valuable source of CPD. In UK recovery colleges, as many as one-third of all students are professionals supporting those with mental health difficulties who attend to further their practice, skillsets and personal wellbeing.


How do I apply?

You don’t need a referral to enrol for courses at Jersey Recovery College, we are a self-referral service. You can choose to register with us and make up your own mind about which courses are right for you. You can register interest in our courses when we open our online application every semester. This is closed when our courses are full. To receive information on when our courses are open, please email hello@recovery.je to receive our news. Once you register your interest in attending a course we will get in touch to confirm whether you have been successfully enrolled and provide you with any additional details you need. Not sure which course is right for you? We can talk you through the range available and help you find a course that suits you.

 


What does the term 'self-referral' mean?

It’s important that our students come to Jersey Recovery College when it’s right for them. For this reason we don’t accept referrals on behalf of anyone. If you are interested in attending one of our courses please register your interest on our application form and submit it to us. If you need some help applying, we can support you, or someone you trust can, but it’s important we receive your application from you.

 


I’m supporting someone who would benefit from your courses. How do I go about getting them on to a course?  

 

If you are a professional or a family member supporting someone who you think would benefit from attending our courses, please do tell them about us, and support their application if required, but it is important that the individual attending submits their application to us.

 


I am under 18. Can I access Jersey Recovery College courses?

As we are just starting up, Jersey Recovery is currently a service for those over 18 although we are hoping to open to over 16 year olds in the future. If you are under 18 and experiencing a mental health difficulty, or are caring for someone with a mental health difficulty, Mind Jersey’s website has lots of great information and can point you towards other information sources (see their signposting page). They also run a terrific youth participation group called Youthful Minds.

 


How much does it cost?

Our courses are free as we believe everyone should have access to knowledge and insights about mental health and supporting recovery. If you’d like to make a donation to support our work, contact us at hello@recovery.je.


What are courses like?

Jersey Recovery College courses are learning environments where you’ll increase your knowledge and understanding about mental health and build practical skills to support recovery. Our courses are not therapy, but the knowledge and practical tools you’ll gain can help you or the people you care for live a meaningful life.


What is co-production?

Our courses are designed and delivered in equal partnership between people who have lived experience of mental health difficulties and those with professional experience such as occupational therapists, psychiatrists or employment coordinators - the professional experience depends on the course. This partnership working is known as co-production and co-delivery, and we feel it helps to offer the best insights and experience possible.


How long are the courses?

They vary. Some may be a single workshop lasting a few hours, others are weekly for up to twelve weeks. Longer courses  usually run once a week. Please see Courses for details of the dates and times of our current courses.


Where are the courses held?

We have a number of different course locations, based on the numbers attending. We’ll let you know where your particular courses will be held when you enrol.


How many people will be on each course?

It varies depending on the course. In general, we try to keep class sizes to around 10-15 people as this helps everyone get the most out of the course.


Will I have to speak in front of the group?

Not if you don’t want to. We encourage class discussions in our courses, but there’s no requirement for you to speak. If you’d like to discuss this with our course leaders, then get in touch, we’d be happy to help.


Is everything shared at the Recovery College confidential?

We want Jersey Recovery College to be a safe place where our students and facilitators can share experiences. We ask all our students to follow our confidentiality protocol so that any personal experiences or private information that’s shared during our courses stay within the group. Our employees will only share your information if they feel there is a safety risk to you or someone else.


Are the waiting times long?

We currently close a course when it is full but do accept names on a waiting list and it is possible a space may come up. We encourage students to apply afresh each semester as our curriculum may change from one semester to the next and life circumstances often change quite a lot in four months. If a course is oversubscribed we will try to offer you a similar course or find another solution. If you feel unable to wait any period of time and need help urgently please contact your GP.