Post-pandemic Recovery Colleges: A multi-site qualitative study

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health problems increased whilst access to clinical mental health services reduced. Recovery Colleges (RCs) are recovery-focussed adult education initiatives delivered by people with professional and lived mental health expertise. Designed to be collaborative, inclusive, and community focussed, RCs were uniquely positioned to support people experiencing mental health problems during the pandemic. There is limited research exploring the lasting impacts of the pandemic on RC operation and delivery to students. The aim of this study was to ascertain how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the operation of RCs in England.

Methods: A coproduced qualitative interview study of RC managers across the UK. Academics and co-researchers with lived mental health experience collaborated on conducting interviews and analysing data using a collaborative thematic framework analysis.

Results: Thirty-one RC managers participated. Five themes were identified: Complex organisational relationships; Changed ways of working; Navigating the rapid transition to digital delivery; Responding to isolation; and Changes to accessibility. Two key pandemic-related changes to RC operation were highlighted: their use as accessible preventative services that relieve pressure on mental health services; and the development of digitally delivered courses for individuals with mental health needs, including forensic RC students and healthcare staff experiencing burnout.

Conclusions: RCs offer two potential benefits to mental health services post-lockdown: Mental health service use prevention through accessible hybrid face-to-face and digital course delivery; and overcoming digital poverty barriers to mental health service access through digital skills training. These benefits are strengthened by strong relationships with partner organisations and autonomy from statutory healthcare infrastructures.