Wellbeing recovery learning
Mary O’Hagan and Sara McCook Weir, in partnership with Te Pou, Kites Trust, Pathways, Richmond New Zealand, Wellink Trust, the Mental Health Commission and the Mental Health Foundation are developing peer led wellbeing recovery learning for people with mental distress and loss of wellbeing.
Wellbeing recovery learning is structured life learning in an intentional peer support framework - designed and delivered by people with lived experience, for and with people with lived experience.
The purpose of wellbeing recovery learning is to enable mutual support between peers, deepen understanding of their experiences and develop tools for whole of life wellbeing.
Wellbeing recovery learning is unique. Traditional psycho-education and much of recovery education focuses on accepting or managing illness, whereas wellbeing recovery learning invites people to focus on defining and achieving the lives they want.
Project progress
Face-to-face facilitated group sessions or learning packages have been developed. The material will be adapted for an online course, as well as a paper-based resource for individuals to use on their own or with a mentor or peer support worker.
As at May 2011, phase 1 of the project was completed. The developers of wellbeing recovery learning are applying for funding to pre-test the learning packages (phase 2) and the training of facilitators (phase 4). If funding applications are successful pre-testing will be carried out between June and October 2011.
The Frozen Funds Charitable Trust has provided a grant for the online publication costs (phase 3).
Rationale
People with severe mental distress, or anyone recovering from catastrophic life events, can face challenges and losses in many areas of life. Traditionally services have developed resources outside the person to assist them with these challenges. People themselves have an ability to learn and develop that is frequently untapped. Wellbeing recovery learning is designed to offer them a comprehensive range of resources to achieve the lives they choose.
Target groups
The learning packages will be aimed at working age people, particularly younger people. All of the packages will be relevant to people with major mental health problems. Many of them will be relevant to all people in the population who experience loss of wellbeing.
Further information
For further information, or if you would like to get involved, please contact:
- Mary O'Hagan, email mary@maryohagan.com
- Sara McCook Weir, email sara@maryohagan.com
- Carolyn Swanson, Te Pou.
