Social Prescribing
Social prescribing is an NHS recognised intervention or programme of care for helping people to improve their health and wellbeing by connecting them to community services in their local area. This may include creative activities such as art, dance, and fitness, or other activities such as gardening, sports or film clubs.
Social prescribing is an approach that works particularly well for people who:
have one or more long term conditions
who need support with low level mental health issues
who are lonely or isolated
who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing, such as autism or SEND
At EST Education, an important part of our work is using the theory of social prescribing to connect our young people with other services, sessions and events within the local community. This supports with improving mental wellbeing, reducing isolation, creating strong friendships, building self-esteem and raising confidence. Staff will support our young people to attend these sessions during their placement with EST Education as part of their bespoke, individualised programme.
Social prescribing can also link people to statutory services such as debt counselling, housing services and other agencies for practical and emotional support. We can therefore link families, parents and carers to services and groups in the Salford borough where we establish that there is a need for this type of intervention within the home or family unit.