The Emerging Benefits of the Commencement of a Recovery College in the Northern Territory on Recovery from Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Use Issues

These evaluation studies explored the impact of the ‘Recovery Together’ program on participants’ mental health and alcohol and other drug recovery and experiences with related services. They also aimed to inform the development of a Recovery College in the Northern Territory (NT). These studies used participatory action research and qualitative methods. Ethics approvals were obtained. Eighteen participants participated in semi-structured interviews across Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine. Data were analysed using inductive and deductive approaches. Many participants expressed dissatisfaction with these local services, referring to inadequate support, disempowering approaches, and complicated referral pathways. However, they valued the ‘Recovery Together’ program for building foundational recovery skills – stress, illness and relapse management, coping strategies, communication and advocacy. Participants also reported increased empowerment, hope, and peer connection. These findings underpin the need in the NT for a Recovery College that builds on peer education and recovery-oriented approaches to improve recovery outcomes.