Devon Recovery Learning Community (DRLC)

Welcome to the Devon Recovery Learning Community

A Recovery College provided by Devon Partnership NHS Trust to support mental health and wellbeing

Our students are people with experience of mental health difficulties, their family and friends, and the professionals who support them.

The DRLC offers a wide range of free, open access opportunities to learn about mental health and Recovery. We provide a unique curriculum of courses delivered online, in person or through a blended approach to learning, designed to increase your knowledge and equip you with the tools to live a meaningful, productive and fulfilling life.

About our courses

How much do the courses cost?

The Devon Recovery Learning Community is a service provided by the Devon Partnership NHS Trust, and works in close partnership with many outside organisations and agencies. All our courses are provided free of charge, but unfortunately we are not able to your pay travel costs to attend them.

Who are the courses for?

Our courses are for adults over the age of 18 who wish to learn to live well, for their family and friends and for the professionals who support them.

We do not take referrals from clinicians or other health or social care professionals.

Our courses are not an alternative to therapy or treatment.

Our students are not required to attend our courses prior to accessing mental health services.

Our students do not have to be using mental health services to access any of our courses.

Do I have to have any qualifications to join a course?

No. Each course is self-contained and you can enrol even if you haven’t studied the subject before. You don’t need any school or academic qualifications to attend.

Will I have to do an exam?

Some courses may offer a formal assessment which you can do if you like, and other courses might offer opportunities to reflect on what you have learned. Courses run by some of our partners could offer opportunities to earn a qualification but this would not be a requirement to attend any of our courses unless specifically stated.

I don’t want to do lots of reading and writing. Is there a suitable course for me?

People learn in lots of different ways. The tutors may suggest some reading, writing or other activities you can choose to do between course sessions, but there will always be opportunities to learn through talking and listening, and signposting to further resources and information. Each session will be different as the students will bring their own individual contribution to the session.

Where do the in-person courses take place?

Courses are run at different venues all over Devon. Addresses are listed in each course description and at the end of the brochure.

Are there opportunities for remote or online learning?

Yes! The Devon Recovery Learning Community has developed a diverse and interactive online platform for Recovery learning that includes live webinars via Zoom, youtube tutorials, podcasts, activities, crafts and puzzles, as well as providing a rich and varied source of information, links and resources.

How do I enrol on a course or find out more?

For most of our courses you can book online at www.devonrlc.co.uk; or email us on dpn-tr.drlc@nhs.net; or phone us on 01392 677067 between 10:00am and 2:00pm, Monday – Thursday, except Bank Holidays. Some of the courses are managed by our partners and you will find their contact details at the end of the course description.

About us

<h3the devon="" recovery="" learning="" community="" is="" a="" college="" provided="" by="" partnership="" nhs="" trust="" to="" promote="" mental="" health="" and="" wellbeing.Our students are people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, their family and friends, and the professionals who support them.

Do I have to be a Devon resident to attend courses or access the online webinars, links and resources? The Devon Recovery Learning Community aims to promote the recovery and wellbeing of all regardless of where you are. However, we do prioritise those who are resident in Devon, but we hope that this does not deter you from enrolling on our courses or being added to our waiting lists. We wish to promote the wellbeing of all and acknowledge that we have much to learn about mental health and recovery from those outside living our geographical area.

Our tutors bring a broad range of expertise to the courses they deliver: an in-depth understanding of recovery values and principles, specialist knowledge, teaching or training experience, experience of working in the field of mental health, together with relevant lived experience of mental health issues. These are all vital ingredients in the production and delivery of all our courses.

Our approach is educational, informed by the values and principles of recovery that aim to instil hope, opportunity and control.

Our courses and online webinars are open access for all adults over the age of 18 and are free of charge. We do not take referrals from health professionals and our students do not have to be using mental health services to access any of our courses.
strong>Our Recovery Curriculum promotes learning to support personal journeys of recovery in several different areas, including:

Rebuilding Your Life

• around what we mean by Recovery and what it might mean for you
• around planning ahead for your wellbeing

Knowledge and Understanding

• about the experience of mental distress
• about mental health issues and treatments
• about ways to manage and live well with mental health symptoms

Developing Practical Skills

• to help manage a mental health problem
• to look after your own wellbeing
• to help you lead a productive and meaningful life
• to support you to life life more independently
• to help you pursue your dreams and desires

Living Well and Enjoying Life

• by trying out and having the chance to experience new things
• by finding expression and exploring the benefits through art, music, creative writing and drama
• by discovering your hidden talents
• by cultivating wellbeing through physical, intellectual, spiritual and creativity activity

Friends, Family, Carers and Other Supporters

• to look after yourself whilst looking after someone else
• to meet others and share information to support you
• to learn more and understand better the mental health of the person/s you look after

Work, Vocation, and Volunteering for Wellbeing

• to support people to think about work as part of their recovery and wellbeing
• to support people to prepare for work whilst living with and managing their mental health
• to help people pursue their vocation in life which could be separate from their employment
• to support people to find purpose and meaning through volunteering

Getting Involved

• to share your story to support and inspire others
• to give back in some way to help others, to help people in your local community, to help the planet

• to raise awareness about issues that have an impact on mental health
• to make a positive difference

Wild Things! is a unique programme of courses that:

• provides safe and supportive opportunities to challenge your mind and your body
• provides a chance to get out, be social and meet other people
• provides opportunities for volunteering or work or which can lead to new passions or hobbies

From what we get, we can make a living; What we give however, makes a life

— Arthur Ashe

A note on co-production

Co-production is a key value and defining principle of Recovery Education. Students will observe that all of our courses are commonly co-delivered by two tutors. Tutors who co- deliver our courses bring to the learning environment a wealth of relevant experience and skills that is not always achieved or even possible were courses taught by one tutor only.

We expect all our courses to be informed by the voice of relevant lived experience together with that of a mental health practitioner, as well as an understanding of recovery values and principles, experience or qualification in teaching or training, specialist subject knowledge and relevant life experience. Understandably, no one tutor would reasonably be expected to deliver on this broad set of skills without the support of a co- tutor, nor is it always possible or best practice.

Co-production and co-delivery allows tutors to draw on the skills in which they are most expert without compromising on those skills a second tutor would be able to bring. The result is teaching that is rich and varied, and a learning environment that is both safe, welcoming, recovery-focussed, and personal to its students.

All of our tutors are happy to speak about their own experience and what they bring to the courses. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Alternatively, students, prospective students, tutors, family, friends and other supporters are most welcome to attend our Recovery Drop-In.

Contact Us

If you have questions about our courses or would like to know more about what we do, you are welcome to:

Email us: dpn-tr.drlc@nhs.net

Telephone us: 01392 677067

To speak with a member of the DRLC staff, please ring between 10:00am-2:00 pm Monday – Thursday.

No answer? Please leave us a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Alternatively you may use our contact form.

We also have an active facebook page where you can also message us, although this is not regularly monitored. We will of course do our best to get back to all enquiries eventually!