Meet our Staff
Chloe Costello
Peer Educator
Hello All,
My name is Chloe Costello, and I am the Peer Educator of Discovery College West. In 2014, I was awarded my degree in Psychology and subsequently received my masters in Health Psychology in 2015. Since then I have worked in various mental health organisations with my most recent post being that of an Assistant Psychologist in a Primary Care service.
I first joined REGARI Recovery College in 2017 as a volunteer Co-Producer and Co-Facilitator and from there I went on to become a Peer Educator and lead on the implementation of Ireland’s first Discovery College. Noticing a need for Recovery Education in the youth cohort, I first piloted this project in 2019 and following its success, was delighted to implement the full time service in the Roscommon region in 2022, which has now been expanded to include the entirety of the West of Ireland.
I believe the importance of education in the prevention and early intervention of mental health and recovery cannot be overstated and, in the Discovery College, we aim to equip young people with the necessary knowledge and skills to take control of their wellbeing. My passion for the work we do in the Discovery College is underpinned by not only the key principles and ethos of the Recovery Model but also by the people who I work alongside every day. I have been very lucky to share my work with the inspirational people that make up the Discovery College team and am so grateful to all the wonderful Co-Producers, Co-Facilitators, and Students that I have worked alongside over the years. I am excited to see what the future holds for this new venture.
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Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do!
Warm wishes,
Chloe
Conor Gavin
Recovery Education Facilitator
Hi there,
I’m Conor and I’m a Recovery Education Facilitator at Discovery College west. I experienced a psychotic episode at age 15 and have since been diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder. This lived experience of mental health permanently shaped my career and outlook.
I went on to college as an aspiring scientist and obtained my bachelors in Biochemistry from the University of Galway in 2021 - even at that stage I wanted to understand my own condition better and so I took on my final year project which examined the genetics of schizophrenia and related disorders. However, after getting into peer support work in my final year at the university on the MOST Trial (Moderate Online Social Therapy), I quickly realized that my true passion was the more person-centered and recovery aspect of mental health.
After 3+ years of peer support, and after leading out on some PPI research activities (Public and Patient Involvement), I decided to pursue a masters to help further my career in the field. I chose the Masters in Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Galway due to the variety and research oriented structure. Just before completing the course I applied for the role at Discovery College West and was delighted when I got the offer.
The fact that there are dedicated roles that exist within an embedded service like this that allow me to use my lived experience everyday is a massive step forward. In addition, the fact I can blend in my professional and research experience is another advantage and I see huge potential - both for the Discovery College and for me as an employee.
Overall, I’m excited to be here and to play an integral role in the recovery movement.
As I always say - onwards and upwards and stay tuned for more news and updates on our expansion.
