Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd MSP visits Discovery College in Inverness.
Maree Todd, MSP and Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, visited the Discovery College in Inverness, run by leading mental health charity Centred, to learn about the work of the charity and the power of peer support in mental health recovery.
The Minister met with staff from the Discovery College to learn about how the college aims to support people at risk of or experiencing mental ill health.
The team also explained how the model is tried and tested across the world as a solution to the mental wellbeing of communities.
The Discovery College, which opened in July and is a first for the Highlands, 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 support people’s mental health 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.
Commenting on her visit, Mental Wellbeing Minister, Maree Todd, said:
“I’m pleased to have had the opportunity to visit the Highlands’ first Discovery College to hear about its important work in supporting mental health recovery and championing the role of peer support.
“We know the valuable benefits of peer support for mental health and wellbeing, as it creates a space to share knowledge, skills and companionship.
“That is why our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults is supporting many initiatives across Scotland, including peer support projects run by Centred, to ensure that people can access a range of different types of support to match their needs.”
The Minister also met with service users who have benefited from spending time at the Discovery College and participating in activities such as art workshops.
David Brookfield, CEO of Centred, added:
“We were delighted to meet with the Minister and explain the concept of the Discovery College and the value of peer support in mental health recovery.
“It was also an opportunity to outline our plans to increase service provision across the Highlands including two further Discovery Colleges in Caithness and Lochaber, which we know are much needed in those communities.”
The Discovery College is open Wednesday to Friday each week in the Eastgate Centre, Inverness, from 10am until 4pm.
