Social Prescribing & Voluntary Sector Pathways

Directories

There are a wide range of directories covering Birmingham City listed via the link below:

Search Directories

 

If you know of any local directories not listed here, please let us know: [email protected]

How Directories Can Be Used

Directories can be used by citizens, organisations and frontline community workers for referrals, along with professionals within other sectors.

If you would like your organisation to be listed in any of these directories, please contact the directory provider directly, as BVSC do not manage all these directories.

Several service providers are now working towards making it easier to publish, find and use community services data through using the Open Referral UK open data standard.

As this standard is adopted by service providers, there are likely to be changes over time to directories, how they can be accessed, how they work together, and how they can be used.

Definitions

  • What are Directories?

Directories list and provide information on different activities, groups, services and support provided to citizens, organisations and communities by Voluntary, Community, Faith, Social Enterprise (VCFSE) and public and private sector organisations.

  • What is Social Prescribing?

Social Prescribing is connecting people to activities, groups and support that improve health and wellbeing.

Many things that affect our health and wellbeing cannot be treated by doctors or medicine alone and may in fact not need a clinical intervention.  For example, people who experience loneliness, debt, or stress due to financial pressures or poor housing, can be supported through other ways.

Social prescribing connects people to non-medical support to address these issues and other unmet needs.  This is also known as wider determinants of health.

This could involve a Social Prescribing Link Worker or an equivalent role:

  • Helping someone who is isolated join a befriending group, an art class or a community gardening project, based on what works for them.
  • Connecting someone struggling with financial stress to a service that helps with managing debt or claiming benefits.
  • Supporting someone with dementia to join a dementia choir, enabling them to maintain a sense of social connection.
  • Working with someone with high blood pressure to take up a form of exercise that they’re comfortable with.

Social prescribing can help change the circumstances that can contribute to making people unwell. It can empower people to manage existing health problems, to get the right benefits or get back into employment. It can help people to connect and to grow in confidence.

Social Prescribing is:

  • Practical and emotional support
  • Helping people live the best lives they can
  • Taking pressure off the NHS
  • Tackling health inequalities
  • The glue that links voluntary organisations with people who need their help
  • Backed by research

Social prescribed activities often, though not always, fall into four main categories:

  • Advice & Information
  • Arts & Heritage
  • Natural Environment
  • Physical Activity

(Source and for further information: NASP, 2023)

  •  What are Voluntary Sector Pathways?

In addition to Social Prescribing, and for reasons wider than health, citizens and organisations are referred to Voluntary, Community, Faith & Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector organisations for support by VCFSE, public and private sector partners through ‘Voluntary Sector Pathways’.

This could involve a frontline community worker or volunteer:

  • Supporting a young person with a record of anti-social behaviour to engage in diversionary activities by linking them with a local youth club
  • Helping an older person with low confidence gain digital skills through joining a course at their community centre
  • Connecting a refugee to legal advice from a migrant support group, to overcome language barriers

Several organisations have set up formal referral processes, known as ‘Voluntary Sector Pathways’, including using Directories (see further above), whilst other organisations are more informally relationship based.

Case Studies

There are several case studies of how social prescribing has benefited individuals and organisations:

If your organisation has examples of how social prescribing has benefited people and organisations, which we can be shared, please contact: [email protected]

Birmingham Social Prescribing Link Workers

Since January 2019, in the Long Term Plan, the NHS committed to employing Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLW).

The Link Workers role involves taking time to identify with an individual what matters to them and then, in a person-centred way, connects invidiuals to practical and emotional community support from Voluntary, Community, Faith & Social Enterprise sector organisations, which can empower and improve health and wellbeing.

Several different organisations host Social Prescribing Link Workers across Birmingham City, including:

        Contact: Charlotte Rowley [email protected] 07976622807 OR

        Lucy Davis [email protected] 07841067646

If your organisation hosts Social Prescribing Link Workers, and would like to appear here, please contact: [email protected]

Birmingham Providers Collaborative 

Sarah Paine, former Midlands Regional Lead and project manager of the Birmingham  Arts and Culture, collaborates with social prescribing services to enhance the arts and culture referral pathway. The work extends to advancing Social Prescribing in Birmingham and strengthening the referral routes into Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise activities. To remain updated on the project (running from April 2023 to 1st May 2024)  sign up here.

Contact Sarah Paine for questions: [email protected].

If you are an artist  freelancer or arts and cultural provider, you are encouraged to join your local art forum and be part of the collaborative arts for health network ‘No11 Arts’ www.number11arts.co.uk

Note: This is not a formal Provider Collaborative structure but a collaborative group name.

National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP)

The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) is a national charity established in 2019. Their goal is to ensure social prescribing thrives across the whole country.

Their five ambitions:

  • 1.    A connected social prescribing system enabling easier access to activities and information
  • 2.     Local, national and international partnerships driving innovative ideas and approaches
  • 3.     Boosted investment in community activities directly supporting people’s health and wellbeing
  • 4.     The best evidence shaping social prescribing policy, practice and research
  • 5.     A raised profile of how social prescribing changes lives and strengthens communities

NASP offers a wide range of resources to support Social Prescribing.

For more information visit: https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/

Voluntary Sector Pathways in Birmingham

There are different Voluntary Sector Pathways in Birmingham for providing wide ranging Information, Advice and Guidance.

Examples include:

BVSC Meetings

28 April 2021

Information

Recording

Resources

           Speakers:

  • Ricky Bhandal, Public Health Service Lead (Communities), Wider Determinants, Birmingham City Council
  • Joseph Merriman, Public Health, Birmingham City Council 
  • Sarah Paine, Midlands Regional Lead, Thriving Communities - National Academy for Social Prescribing
  • Elizabeth Goodchild, Strategic Partnership Manager, BVSC

Events

National Social Prescribing Day is an annual celebration of social prescribing, recognising link workers, local community groups and regional and national organisations which support people’s health and wellbeing.

In 2023 it takes place on 9 March.

Further details of Directories: Social Prescribing and Voluntary Sector Pathways events taking place throughout the year will be added to our BVSC events pages.

For More Information:

Published:

Updated:

Author: Muhammed Bashir

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