One of the key purposes of this website, and every item of content within it (this intro included), is to make more students, and university decision makers, aware of Collegiate Recovery in 2024 and beyond. What it is, how it works, and where this platform, and the people behind it, can provide advice and support to anybody who wants to learn more.
But, as with anything new, it takes time for research, news and insight to come to fruition. So it’s great to see a brand new impact report into UK Collegiate Recovery in 2024, published by katewilson.org. Featuring key data, qualitative feedback and financial information, the report paints a positive picture for future investment into Collegiate Recovery, and more support for students at universities.
Calculating the need for Collegiate Recovery
First published in the CRUK Toolkit, on this website, data from the UK National Recovery Survey has now been used to calculate how many students could benefit from a Collegiate Recovery Programme.
Taking data on the number of university age students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) and applying it to the average UK campus, 12% of students admitted to overcoming a problem with drugs or alcohol. A further 23% admitted the same for a behavioural addiction (such as gambling, shopping, pornography).
Combined, that’s more than 30%, with many campuses across the country having upwards of 20,000 students on site. Even applying other calculations, such as the number of students who may already be looking for support, which a US survey calculates at 4%, means that a demand for some form of support exists in any campus across the country.
What sort of costs are involved in CRPs?
The report does begin to paint a picture of what kind of costs could be involved in supporting a student on campus. That said, calculations are only based on one programme, Better Than Well, at the University of Birmingham, where a full-time member of staff is employed to manage the work.
But, even with this member of staff accounted for, dedicated space allocated on campus, sober housing available, and a full timetable of activities, the report calculates that the cost per student remains less than £500 per academic year. And when you consider the potential cost of relapse to a student, and potentially the student’s family, that -£500 looks like money very well invested.
In other areas of the country, CRP’s in place that are supported by a local Lived Experience Recovery Organisation, like Recovery Connections at Teesside and Sunderland, would result in significantly lower costs for the university.
What does the future of Collegiate Recovery look like?
Now that there is sufficient evidence to create these kinds of reports, there is genuine substance being added to the undoubted promise of these peer-led programmes. An abundance of qualitative feedback already exists, some of which you will find on this site, but there’s no doubt that data on students needing support, and more tangible ideas on how much it may cost, are also crucial.
This makes potential for philanthropic investment, allocation of university resources, and more concrete budgeting for people interested in starting CRPs all the more likely. The report itself, available to download, here, paints a picture of what philanthropic investment can do for a programme, and its students. In the process of planning for a CRP, this could be a great resource to draw information from as you draw up an outline for your campus.
And don’t forget, CRPs in the UK are less than one decade old. We’re building momentum around this movement, year on year, and encouraging more interest and investment every term. The launch of this platform, presenting the work in the US, and an increase in media interest over the last two years all add weight to this work.
To learn more, and become part of this important work for students in the UK, register with CRUK or write a message to: [email protected]. To download the full report, click here.
Professionals from the following organisations contributed to this project
