Peer support to help "jump start" young people into independent life: A conversation with Michele Sipala of Recovery House

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Michele Sipala is a peer support worker at Recovery House, located in the heart of the city centre in Trieste. Recovery House provides a six-month transitional residential environment for six young people, age 18 – 35, to help give a “kick start” into more independent living. Recovery House was started in 2015 and over the past nine years, it has served 55 young people.

In this conversation, we discuss the unique needs of younger people in the mental health services in Trieste who are transitioning into the adult service sector – with changes to their clinical supports and all the stresses and challenges that can accompany an expectation of moving into adult life. He reiterates the three pillars of their mental health system: the importance of work, home and socialization.

Resources and publications mentioned in this conversation:

The Recovery House in Trieste: Rational, participants, intervention as the “work.” APA Psyc Net 2018

The Recovery House of Trieste. Journal of Recovery in Mental Health. 2018

Full article here.

Book that has had a great impact on Michele:

Tutto chiede salvezza (Italian)

Everything Calls for Salvation (English version)

And it is a Netflix series – with two seasons.