The Recovery College: A Unique Service Approach and Qualitative Evaluation

Objective: This study examined the impact of a Recovery College, an educational service model focusing specifically on health care to engage people's hope, agency, and opportunities for recovery. Method: For the purpose of the study, a qualitative approach was used given the absence of research in this area. Eleven people completed semistructured interviews conducted by an independent researcher. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The analyses yielded themes emphasizing the impact of the organizational structure of the college. Coproduction of service delivery was contrasted with traditional provision and identified as fundamental to personal and professional changes made. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Recovery College participants described clear gains. These findings are discussed in relation to the recovery literature and highlight the need for routine coproduction of services to facilitate recovery from the often devastating impact of mental ill-health.