WHO's European Mental Health Action Plan prioritises the rights and empowerment of service users and their families. In addition, service user partnership and involvement in education is growing in importance for the development of future and current practitioners. Despite policies placing a strong emphasis on positive approaches like recovery-orientated practices and social inclusion, service user empowerment and involvement is still a common challenge across European countries. Higher Education Institutions have a significant role to play in developing this and in developing the competencies needed by current and future practitioners, through leading the knowledge triangle of education, research and work. Across Europe there is no model in mental health that harnesses the contributions these groups have to make. This project sets three objectives. The first aims to create a Tripartite model for working encompassing the university, the service user and staff in clinical practice, to bring research and the service user perspective to mental health practice, central to current mental health policies. Central to this, is the project use of a participatory research design and the co-production of materials drawing from service users experiences, coupled with an appreciation of different kinds of knowledge and positive attitudes that they can bring. This is regarded as important to the education of future and current professionals. For service users, co-production of knowledge and co-operation in education supports social inclusion, strengthens participants’ self-efficacy and increases the sense of involvement via a shared understanding, equality and dialogical approach. The second, focuses on the development of a competency assessment for undergraduate students. It is hoped that this will be a comprehensive assessment for both mental health and general skills competencies, across different countries and education systems. The third focuses on the development of eLearning materials for mental health created through the process of co-production. A criticism of eLearning and eHealth is that it places emphasis on learning instead of doing. A shift in emphasis is needed from eLearning to 'learning by doing' (Aldrich 2012). Here the concept of 'gamification' can facilitate this transition from learning to doing. Although new, this approach has seen positive results in mental health (Johnson et al. 2016). This project aims to strengthen multi-professional competencies in mental health with nursing, social and health care students, service users and professionals in international context through blending eLearning and intensive programmes and training. The project uses a participatory research design with collaborative learning methods. It will produce intellectual outputs in the form of online digital modules and a tool for the assessment of mental health competences for undergraduate programmes. The project follows the ideas of the European Commission's Modernisation of Higher Education Agenda (2014) in developing new modes of learning and teaching in higher education and is in line with the recommendations for Opening up Education by using innovative teaching and learning for all, through using new Technologies and Open Educational Resources (2013). It also supports the concepts of lifelong learning, internationality and continuing professional development (Education and Training 2020). The partners are from higher education institutions in Ireland, Finland, Belgium, UK and Greece. Undergraduate students and educators from these institutions will participate the project, with service users and practitioners on each site. During the project there will be transnational project meetings, intensive programs for both learners and educators, in addition to training days for a wide audience. The project will produce three intellectual outputs in addition to increasing the mental health competences of the participants and greater international co-operation. Active dissemination is crucial to the project and the intellectual outputs and results will be made widely available for others to use nationally and internationally. Long term benefit of the project will be the development of a collaborative tripartite learning model, created for work with practitioners and students (service providers), service users and educators. The model will have the capacity to be adapted to other contexts. Online modules will place emphasis on 'gamification' using co-production with professionals and service users; this will represent a new approach to creating online materials. The way of working could be implemented also in other contexts. For the collaborating partners long term benefits will be in changes in the area of mental health competences, an increase in international co-operation and greater opportunities for co-operation between the members of this new undergraduate mental health consortium.
Background WHO's European Mental Health Action Plan prioritises the rights and empowerment of service users and their families. In addition, service user partnership and involvement in education is growing in importance for the development of future and current practitioners. Despite policies placing a strong emphasis on positive approaches like recovery-orientated practices and social inclusion, service user empowerment and involvement is still a common challenge across European countries. Higher Education Institutions have a significant role to play in developing this and in developing the competencies needed by current and future practitioners, through leading the knowledge triangle of education, research and work. Across Europe there was no model in mental health whereby the contributions these groups can make could be harnessed. To this end, the project had a core objective, to strengthen competencies for people in mental health. Central to the project is the use of a participatory action research approach to develop all of the outputs, drawing on service users’ experiences and now regarded as important to the education of future and current professionals. Key to this process was the development of Communities of Practice (CoP) in each partner university, which have acted as ‘think tanks’. These CoPs comprised all of the stakeholders in mental health (service users, family members, practitioners, students and academics). Objectives The core objective was achieved by the delivery of three outputs; (i) a competency tool which can be used to develop knowledge, attitudes and skills for working in mental health, (ii) development of a tripartite logic model of working for the greater inclusion of stakeholders in mental health. The model identifies ways of working in co-produced ways and mechanisms through which greater inclusiveness can be achieved. (iii) The development of eLearning materials to strengthen competencies for mental health working. The materials were developed across five core themes following curricular evaluations. The project strengthened multi-professional competencies in mental health with nursing, social and health care students, service users and professionals in international context through blending eLearning and intensive programmes and training. Additionally, the project created an Erasmus generic competency tool. Activities undertaken The project followed the ideas of the European Commission's Modernisation of Higher Education Agenda (2014) in developing new modes of learning and teaching in higher education. This was done both in the running of two Intensive Programmes (IP) and in development of eLearning materials for Output 1. In both processes, novel approaches have been introduced underpinned by gamification principles and in the use of problem-based learning and ‘learning by doing’ (Aldrich 2012). STRENCO’s two competency assessment tools have been developed as self-assessment tools, the assessment of which can also be done in a facilitated way with the guidance of a preceptor. They adopt a five-stage scale for assessment and are presented with guidance manuals for their use. A mapping of the development process of the mental health competency tool is presented in the output. The tool can be used both as an assessment and as a learning aid for all parties. The secondary product from this output is a general skills competency assessment for Erasmus programmes that can be used across different countries and education systems. Based on the learning encountered over the STRENCO project, Output 3 has resulted in the STRENCO Logic Model for working in mental health in more co-produced ways. The model highlights how context, process and outcomes are intertwined within co-production in mental health. It presents a visual representation of the components interrelationships that impact on working in mental health. It presents the process mechanisms that should be considered as key factors that influence co-production in MH along with the challenges that may be presented. Number and type/profile of participants The STRENCO Project has involved approximately 100 participants from across the spectrum of mental health, in either the Communities of Practice or Intensive Programmes across the six partners. These included MH service users and families, experts by experience, clinicians, students (57) and academics (30). In addition, two training days for a wide audience were held at the end of each intensive programme in the host country. Results Long term benefit of the project is manifest in the products of the three outputs. Across different formats, the project has produced 19 eLearning packages. In addition to the packages has come the skills development of the teachers and students involved in the process. The competency frameworks and tripartite model provide a foundation for practice and an avenue to develop approaches and skill sets for the future.