Supporting adults with mental health problems through further education

Abstract

Aim: To identify how a college of further (tertiary) education might promote the wellbeing of adults with mental health problems. Study design: Qualitative study of the college-related experiences of people with mental health problems. Setting: A further education college in inner-city London, UK. Methods: Fifteen students, all of whom had been diagnosed with mental health problems, were selected from a range of courses, including those attending a special cookery class, those on mainstream courses, and former-students who had studied on one of a number of courses and who might or might not have completed their studies. Data were collected through two individual semi-structured interviews. Results: Findings focus on barriers to learning outside and inside college and how these were overcome, as well as participants’ perceived links between learning and their mental health and wellbeing. Conclusion: Discussion highlights the necessity of ‘bridging’ between health and education services in order to enable adults with mental health problems to benefit from lifelong learning opportunities in a potentially transformative way.