Recovery College Kirklees

General information

What is DISCOVER: Recovery College Kirklees?

DISCOVER: Recovery College is led by South West Yorkshire Partnership Trust and supported by Kirklees Council. We work in partnership with volunteers and other supporting organisations to develop and run a range of workshops and courses which promote well-being and good mental health.

Who is the Recovery College for?

Adults who want to improve their own well-being and / or the health and well-being of someone they care for or support.

We focus on education, building people’s skills and knowledge and should not be seen as therapy or a clinical intervention.

Our sessions have been designed and are run by people with experience of mental health conditions and professionals that work with them.

Where and how will I learn ?

The Recovery College is based at Pathways, Nettleton Road, Mirfield, WF14 9AQ. Initially, a lot of our workshops will be delivered from here, but we also offer sessions provided at some of our partnering venues. These are stated on the course descriptions.

As we develop we intend to offer more workshops and courses across Kirklees.

Our courses and workshops are co-delivered by volunteer course leaders working with health care and educational professionals. Our volunteers have a wealth of both personal and professional experience of mental health, maintaining their own well-being or the well-being of someone that they care for or support.

Will I need to pay for a course?

The majority of our courses are free to access. On occasion due to funding there may be a small charge made to learners. This will be clearly stated on all course publicity.

I don’t want to go back to school or college- is that what this is?

No. Our courses aren’t traditional college or school subjects and aren’t delivered in a traditional way. We have course leaders rather than teachers and refer to you as a learner rather than a student.

We believe that we all have something to learn and we are all on our own recovery journey. If you attend a course you won’t be sitting in a classroom listening to a teacher talk while you take notes. Instead you’ll have opportunities to discuss subjects that interest you, learn at your own pace and share your expertise.

Do I need to be referred by my mental health team?

No the Recovery College is open anyone who would like to improve their well-being. You enrol with the college, rather than being being referred.

As a learner, you simply enrol and discuss with us the courses which best suit you.

Can I bring a supporter or family member with me?

Yes. We are happy for learners to attend with a carer, supporter or staff member who supports them.

Do I need to have any qualifications or be able to read and write well to attend a course?

No. We appreciate that learners may have missed out on education or found school or college courses difficult.

Our courses range from brief, introductory ‘taster’ workshops to courses running over a few weeks. There are no formal entry requirements for any of our courses and we don’t ask you to take notes, read or speak out loud in a session if you don’t feel comfortable.


Do I have to take any tests or exams at the Recovery College?

No. There are no exams or tests.

On occasion we may offer an accredited course in our ‘moving forward’ section of the prospectus – this may require some evidence of learning. This will be discussed with you at the time of enrolment onto the course and if you have any concerns please ask!