The two organisations are working together to launch a Mental Health Academy and Recovery College in Bedfordshire and Luton. 

The academy will see existing ties strengthened through a formal partnership that will reinforce a culture of best practice, academic research and shared knowledge.

The University has an excellent reputation for training and development of nursing professionals and this partnership will open the door for more high-calibre graduates to move smoothly from their studies to becoming valued members of the Trust.

Senior Lecturer and Mental Health Pre-registration Course Co-ordinator with the University, Jo Sale, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the students and staff of the University of Bedfordshire to work in partnership with the Trust.

“We aim reach out to local communities to improve their mental health and wellbeing, whilst also reducing stigma and promoting an understanding of mental health.”

The partnership will include:

• Establishing a collaborative partnership for mutual recognition of issues, development, innovation and change
• Identifying research priorities
• Enhancing the employment of undergraduates by involving senior staff in values based recruitment
• Recruitment of senior Trust staff as honorary lecturers to promote contemporary mental health practice
• Joint working to refresh and redesign curriculum content
• Enhancing the range and quality of publications and presence at conferences through shared knowledge, synergies, research and scholarship
• Pooling expertise to enhance university performance in the area of research grant writing, submissions and bids

The second exciting element of the partnership is to launch a Recovery College.

Free courses will run from locations across Bedfordshire and Luton promoting mental wellbeing and offering relevant, real-life help and support for everyone.

Courses, workshops and training events will focus on developing new skills, increased understanding of mental and physical health, practical skills which promote independence /self-worth, art, drama and physical activities

They will be delivered by service users, University staff, University students and staff from the Trust which delivers mental health services across the county as Bedfordshire and Luton Mental Health and Wellbeing Services.

“The Recovery College will help change attitudes about mental health and offer an open door to anyone who wants to learn new skills that can make the day-to-day challenges we all face a little easier,” said Diane Hull, Deputy Director of Nursing and Recovery for Luton and Bedfordshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Services.

“We would love to hear from anyone who would be interested in running a workshop.”

An official launch event for the Mental Health Academy and Recovery College will be held on Friday 6 May at the University’s Putteridge Bury campus in Luton.

The first courses will start in June.

Email RecoveryCollege@elft.nhs.uk for details.