Busy start to new year for Collegiate Recovery Programme
The Collegiate Recovery Programme (CRP) hit the ground running this year, with additional support services starting at the beginning of 2025.
Since launching in October 2024, the programme has hosted the Safe Spaces drop-in at the University of Leeds and Leeds Trinity University, offering vital support for students in recovery, sober curious and affected by addiction.
With the support of organisations such as The Sober Butterfly Collective, and activity spots around Leeds, the CRP has also hosted a variety of Sober Socials to add a sense of safety, community and fun to socialising. Mocktails, Meet & Greets, explorations of local spots and climbing were just some of the socials held last year that were open to all students at the universities in Leeds.
By forging new connections and securing student deals, Programme Coordinator Kaitlyn Fiske hopes that there will be lots more exciting and accessible social events to come in 2025.
In 2025, the CRP introduced online groups including The Monday Check-in and the Recovery Celebration, giving students and staff across all six universities in Leeds an accessible, inclusive space for support.
The Monday Check-In is a check-in support group for students in recovery or sober-curious. The Recovery Celebration, inspired by the University of Birmingham’s CRP, Better Than Well’s group, is a bi-weekly topical support group that explores addiction recovery and sobriety as a student.
Additionally, with support from Leeds Beckett University, the programme now offers drop-ins at student halls, making recovery visible and accessible from the start of the university journey.