Reflections on Co-production, Lived Experience and the Shared Learning Environment within the Development and Early Delivery of a Recovery College.

Objective: This study sought to explore and value the experiences of the service users, staff, carers and volunteers who were involved in the development and early establishment of a recovery college in a large mental health Trust in the United Kingdom. Research Design and Methods: This qualitative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the experiences of 25 participants who were involved in the design, development and early delivery phases of the recovery college. Data was collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Results: The findings discuss a number of key features relating to participants’ experiences of the development of the recovery college, with the central themes being: 1) co-production; 2) lived experience; and 3) the shared learning environment. Conclusions: Key recommendations for those seeking to develop their own recovery college include: i) co-production is essential, but there are both philosophical and practical considerations; ii) lived experience is valuable, but it needs to be valued and supported within both the recovery college and the host organisation; and iii) the shared learning environment and educational approach of the college is vital and needs equity of opportunity between the service users, staff, carers and volunteers involved.