Meet Joe! New practitioner - Q&A

Meet Joe, the newest Recovery College Practitioner. Joe joined us as a Recovery College Practitioner back in July 2022. Joe's role will sit firmly with Acho and Tracey, leading sessions, supporting volunteers and partners to deliver their sessions, and helping to spread the modern understanding of Recovery. Joe will be the creative practitioner in the team - a particular interest of his is photography, and I will let him tell you more about himself below...

Tell us about your previous experience

"My name is Joe and I am the newest member of the Recovery College. I’m a media production graduate who has spent the last 6 years teaching photography in a pupil referral unit setting. I aim to share some of the skills gained from delivering creative subjects such as photography with the Recovery College."

What was it about the Recovery College that interested you?

"I found that helping to improve the mental health of students in my previous role was one of the things I found most fulfilling. When I learned about the Recovery College and what it offered, I immediately saw the opportunity to combine my two passions of delivering creative subjects and making a real impact in helping improve people’s mental health. I really like the blended approach the Recovery College takes when delivering sessions as some are face-to-face whereas others are via MS Teams. I feel that this approach helps reach a wider audience and therefore helps more people who may be struggling with their wellbeing."

Is there anything you do daily that helps your wellbeing?

"I find that getting out of the house for a walk improves my wellbeing. I often listen to a podcast whilst I am doing so and always feel great afterward. I also love to play sport - football in particular. I have played football since I was around 5 years old and it has always supported and improved my mental health and wellbeing."

What are you looking forward to in your new role?

"I am eager to share my passion with enthusiastic students. I’m really looking forward to expanding the creative side of the Recovery College by adding/building on sessions such as photography and Wellbeing Through Creativity. I‘m excited to work alongside the amazing Recovery College team and help promote the values we all share."