EIRE Research Project 

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. Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do!

My name is Meredith Rathburn and I am a Recovery Education Facilitator at Discovery College West and the EIRE Research Co-lead. I graduated with a BSc in Medical Anthropology from the University of Vermont in 2021. During my time in college, I participated in the Emergency Medicine Research Associate Programme where I learned how to perform clinical research studies, studied research ethics, and gained clinical experience in the local Emergency Department screening and consenting patients into various studies. This built my confidence in public speaking, approaching people about sensitive topics, and transforming an idea into a research study. I understand the methodology and process research requires and am thrilled to bring this experience to the Efficacy and Impact of Recovery Education Research Project. This research project is very near and dear to my heart as it will build the foundation for an evidence base for recovery education. We are co-producing this tool to measure recovery education alongside the incredible young people in the community, and we are so excited to share what we've been working on!

Hi there, I am a volunteer in the Regari Recovery College and an Eire Advisory Group Moderator. I am currently completing my masters in Psychological Science in UCD and hold an undergraduate degree from Maynooth University. I am extremely interested in psychology and began volunteering in the Regari Recovery College in 2021. This ignited my love for recovery education, as I experienced firsthand the transference of hope and fostering of resilience through this form of learning. I am very excited and proud to be part of the EIRE project.

Aoife is a final year PhD student in the School of Psychology, University of Galway. In 2021, she completed the BSc in Biomedical Science (Pharmacology) in the University of Galway, and then went on to complete the MSc in Clinical Neuroscience in the University of Galway in 2022. Her current research investigates the association between early life experiences, cognition, symptomatology, and brain structure and function in schizophrenia using the iRelate dataset. Aoife’s research interests include the application of advanced statistical models and novel data science techniques in the exploration and analysis of clinical data, incorporating a variety of neuroimaging, cognitive and psychological variables.

Hello folks! My name is Chekka and I am a Recovery Education Facilitator at Discovery College West. Although not originally from Ireland, I have made this place home through community, exploration and reflection. I received BAs in Politics and Peace & Justice Studies and went on to attend the University of Galway for a MA in Public Advocacy and Activism. Before receiving my degree, I worked with young people experiencing homelessness in supported accommodation. Prior to that I was working in education for young people around sexual violence and consent culture. I love working with young people and exploring difficult or complex topics through engaging facilitation, education and programs. I believe in the power of lived experience and its ability to grow understanding, compassion and appreciation for those around and the wider world we live in. I am so fortunate to be able to work in an organization that uplifts lived experiences and uses the potential of education as a means of early intervention and care. I am proud to contribute to the Discovery College's mission for both young people and the wider community.