Post-Secondary

Recovery Colleges
ontarioshores.ca
Defining a Recovery College
Recovery Colleges are strength-based mental health
and well-being learning centres driven by peer
education designed to support connection, a positive
sense of self and hope. Recovery Colleges offer
recovery-oriented courses in a range of topics that
support mental health and well-being. Students are
empowered to select courses to support their
learning objectives and mental health goals. Courses
are co-produced by those with lived experiences
navigating wellness and those with professional
experience. Recovery Colleges promote an inclusive
and supportive environment that builds on students’
strengths to promote growth, self-agency, and
overcome the stigma surrounding mental health
(Perkins et al., 2012).
Application to the
Post-Secondary Space
Mental health challenges in young adults has
historically been problematic even prior to the
emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an
incredible prominence of anxiety and depression
among other challenges (i.e. emerging adulthood).
The post-secondary Recovery College initiative
leverages the experience of a mental health hospital
with Recovery Colleges to operate with a consultative
model. The role of Ontario Shores, as the consultant, is
to provide leadership and expertise in the
implementation, sustainability, and evaluation of
Recovery Colleges. The role of the post-secondary
institutions is to operationalize and sustain the
Recovery College.
Types of Recovery College
Courses
a. Meaningful and healthy connections (i.e., healthy
boundaries)
b. Skill development (i.e., time management)
c. Self-discovery and learning about
yourself/strengths (i.e., telling your story)
d. Learning about mental health and treatment
options (i.e., finding and accessing resources)
e. Work-education-related (i.e., balancing work,
school, and life)
f. Recreational and leisure (i.e., reading for pleasure)
g. Co-Design (co-creating education)
Reach
To date, across all campuses …
• Registrations: 2285
• Unique students: 1507
• Courses offered, including repeats: 115
• Peers employed: 25
• 85% between 1st and 4th year (n=204)
• 80% female (n=197)
• More than half are “struggling and/or experiencing
challenges with maintaining positive mental
health” (64%, n=102)
Effectiveness
Self reported mental and emotional health after RC
participation had significantly improved compared to
before, through the development of coping
skills/wellness tools, increased sense of connection
and community, and the space for self-reflection
(n=153, p<0.05).
Mechanisms of Impact
1. Informational
97% learned something new (n=141) including
coping skills, life skills, general info, and MH resources
2. Appraisal/Affirmation
Nearly all (98%) felt the RC course(s) provided a space
for self-reflection and personal development (n=97)
Using a paired t-test analysis, mean psychological
wellbeing levels (18 item psychological wellbeing
scale) after Recovery College participation had
improved significantly (n=57, p<0.05).
3. Emotional
Majority (92%) felt they provided emotional support
to their peers and (91%) felt they received support
from their peers (n=78).
4. Instrumental
A microcredential is digitally recorded recognition of
a small, specific skill; validated by an industry or
community partner (i.e., building relationships).
Through the Recovery College, students have the
opportunity to be recognized for the skills that they
feel have been enhanced through engagement with
the program. To date, there have been 215
microcredential registrations and 21 completed post
Recovery College participation.
 Reach
Effectiveness
RE-AIM Adoption
Implementation
Maintenance

Adoption
The Recovery College Model has been adopted by 5 Universities and 2 Colleges within Ontario. The program is
primarily situated within schools’ Student Wellness Services.

Implementation
1 Feasibility Assessment 5 Course Administration

• Determine availability of resources and • Promotions and marketing, launch

level of commitment at post-secondary registration system and track student
institution to sustain Recovery College. registration.
• Review and sign Memorandum of
Understanding.

6 Peer Facilitation

• Facilitations of courses by Post-Secondary

2 Mental Health Needs Assessment Peer Support Specialists.
• Gain understanding of the mental health
needs of students to inform Recovery
College courses.

7 Semesterly Timeline for

Planning, Promotion and Launch
3 Co-Production and Course Creation
• Evaluate to understand who is accessing
• Recruit students with lived experiences of the Recovery College, program impact
mental health challenges to co-produce mechanisms and what students found
courses that arose from needs assessment helpful.
• Planning for subsequent semesters.

4 Peer Hiring and Training

• Ontario Shores to provide training,

education, coaching and mentorship for
school peer facilitators.
Maintenance
To ensure successful implementation and program sustainability, resource commitment from both partners is
required.

Post-Secondary Institution Ontario Shores

Material • Registration system • Post-Secondary Recovery College

Resources • Online platform or physical space to Implementation Toolkit
facilitate classes • Evaluation analysis and materials/reports
(i.e., impact data)

Human • Point person with ability to make • Permanent resources dedicated to

Resources decisions on behalf of organization, Post-Secondary Recovery Colleges
coordinate promotion, and including: a) Implementation and Evaluation
co-supervise peers Coordinator and b) Peer Support Specialists
• School peer facilitators

Financial • Peer position salary/honorarium • Graphic facilitator for Co-Design course

Resources • Optional: co-production honorariums • Post-participation survey incentive

Educational • Access to Community of Learning

Resources • Membership in Research Consortium
• Microcredentialing opportunities for
students

References
Perkins, R., Repper, J., Rinali, M., & Brown, H. (2012).
Implementing Recovery through Organizational Change:
Recovery College. UK: NHS Confederation Mental-Health Network, UK

Ontario Shores Centre for

Mental Health Sciences

700 Gordon Street

Whitby, Ontario L1N 5S9
905.430.4055 2023