What is Social Prescribing?
Social Prescribing is an approach that connects people with community activities and support to improve their wellbeing. A health professional or other service may identify someone experiencing loneliness or social isolation and help connect them with suitable activities in their local community.
Prahran Place is developing a Social Prescribing program in partnership with local health practitioners and community organisations.
The idea is simple: connection matters.
Sometimes belonging starts with someone knowing your name, noticing when you’re not there, and being pleased to see you when you return.
Our aim is to help people move from isolation to connection, and connection to belonging.
Connection before activity
Social Prescribing isn’t really about getting someone into a class.
It’s about helping someone find a reason to leave the house, meet another person and begin reconnecting with their community.
The activity is often simply the starting point.
Loneliness can affect anyone
Loneliness isn’t limited to older people or people who live alone. It can affect people at any stage of life.
The World Health Organization estimates that around one in six people globally experience loneliness, and recognises social connection as an important part of our physical and mental health.
Prahran Place: A place to belong
Sometimes improving wellbeing starts with something very ordinary:
- Someone knowing your name.
- Someone noticing you weren’t there last week.
- Someone asking if you’re coming back next week.
That’s belonging. And that’s something a neighbourhood house can provide.
Why connection matters
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that involvement in community and meaningful connections with other people are important to wellbeing throughout our lives.
You don’t have to be alone to feel lonely. Loneliness is the feeling that the connections we have aren’t the connections we need.
More than a referral
A referral is only successful if someone feels comfortable taking the next step.
Our Social Prescribing program works to create that bridge between health and community — helping people move from isolation to participation, and participation to belonging.
One in six. Around one in six people worldwide report feeling lonely.
That is why social connection is increasingly being recognised as a public health issue — and why community organisations such as Prahran Place have an important role to play.
Our aim is simple
Connect people with people. Help someone take the first step. Give them a reason to return.
And over time, help them find belonging, on their own terms.
