Centred, the leading mental charity in the Highlands, will this week open the doors to the very first Recovery College in the Highlands, known as the Discovery College and based in the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness.
From Wednesday 17th July, the Discovery College, located in the unit previously occupied by Argos on the first floor of the Eastgate, will be open to the community every Wednesday from 10am to 4pm.
The Discovery College is a community led concept, based on a rural Canadian model which has proven to be successful in other countries around the world including Scandinavia, Australia and England.
It is designed to aid mental health recovery through the creation of a relaxed meeting point in the community with opportunities to learn and increase understanding of wellbeing and mental health.
Key to the success of the model are ‘Peer Supporters’ who have their own lived experience and can therefore relate to the mental health challenges faced by those looking for support from the Discovery College.
Sue Lyons has been appointed as Manager of the Discovery College and is passionate about the potential of the college to make a difference to so many members of the local community who are socially isolated or who could benefit from learning how to better cope with life’s challenges and improve their quality of life.
Sue explains:
“The Discovery College is for everyone and there is a very good reason that we have chosen to be based in the Eastgate, at the heart of community.
“People of all ages and backgrounds visit the Centre every day and many are facing challenges for a variety of different reasons, from struggling to make ends meet, loneliness and isolation or experiencing problems with their mental health.
“We are here for everyone.
“No diagnosis or referral is necessary.
“Our doors will be open every Wednesday and everyone is welcome to come in, meet other people, have a cup of tea or coffee, take part in some of the classes we will be running or simply have a chat and feel part of a supportive community.”
Over the summer, the Discovery College will be offering the opportunity for people to do art classes and there will also be an area with books, jigsaws and board games for people to take time out.
The college will also be a mobile phone free area to encourage people to socialise in the real world.
In partnership with the Mhor Collective, the Discovery College will also be providing digital and wellbeing support.
Visitors will be able to access one-to-one support to improve their digital skills and will also have the opportunity to borrow electronic devices from the device library.
Anya Martus, Project Lead from the Mhor Collective adds:
“Many people feel intimidated by the digital world and a lack of digital knowledge and skills can exacerbate a situation for those who are already feeling socially isolated.
“We want to help people have the opportunity to connect with friends and family online and also better understand how to access online services that could improve their quality of life.”
From Autumn, there will be a full range of courses and development opportunities available including self-care, finding your voice and improving conversation skills.
Each course will be delivered by subject experts and often in partnership with other organisations such as the NHS and Penumbra.
Each course will also have an assigned Peer Supporter to provide support and a friendly face to those who have signed up for the course.
Chris Kershaw, Manager of Eastgate Shopping Centre, believes the opening of the Discovery College is a real milestone for the centre:
“We are thrilled to see Centred Discovery College open its doors at Eastgate on July 17th.
“We are proud to support such a valuable resource in our centre.”
The Discovery College will be open every Wednesday from 10am till 4pm with a view to opening three days a week by the end of the year.
