As the first university in the country to implement any form of Collegiate Recovery Programme (CRP) on campus, this latest move demonstrates the continued commitment of the university to support students in, and into recovery.
By signing the Recovery Friendly Uni Pledge, Teesside has now taken the further step of committing to 10 simple changes on campus that will reinforce the work across the university, aiding student wellbeing and inclusivity along the way. Alongside celebrating the milestone across their own communications channels, this momentous move by the University also made BBC News.
Dr Jo Heaton-Marriott, Executive Director of Communications and Development at the university, is part of a Recovery College advisory board, set up internally to oversee progress, and was delighted to put pen to paper on the pledge:
She said: “It is important to us that all students feel safe, welcomed and supported here at Teesside University, including those in recovery.
“We take our duty of care very seriously and were proud to formalise our commitment to helping those affected by signing the Recovery-Friendly Campus pledge.”
Jo, who is also part of the Steering Group behind the ongoing SSA-funded Collegiate Recovery Project, was joined by Mal Fitzgerald, Deputy Director of Student Wellbeing & Welfare, on the day of the signing. Representing Recovery Connections was Students in Recovery Lead, Adam Petson, Marcomms Lead, Simon Trelfa, and CEO Dot Smith, who has been developing Collegiate Recovery in the UK for almost a decade.
Dot said: “Teesside was the first university in the UK to begin embedding this work into its already comprehensive mental health and wellbeing support services.
“Signing the pledge demonstrates that students in recovery are welcomed, supported, and can focus on both their studies and recovery while at the university.”
So, as we move into 2024, we can now pinpoint FOUR Collegiate Recovery Programmes in place, or development, across the UK. By summer ’24, we will have launched an online knowledge hub for all universities to access, and put in place the simple steps required to become a Recovery Friendly Uni.
