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CONNECTING COMMUNITY IN UPPER HUME PHASE 2 - SOCIAL PRESCRIBING PROJECT

Connecting Community in Upper Hume Phase 2 Social Prescribing Project (CCUHP2) utilises the Living Our Best Life model developed by the CHAOS (Community Houses Association of the Outer-eastern Suburbs) Neighbourhood House Network. It builds on the work achieved in the Connecting Community in Upper Hume Pilot Social Prescribing Project, delivered across the Upper Murray Regional Neighbourhood House Network by five participating neighbourhood houses from November 2022 to June 2023.

 

CCUHP2 aims to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Reduce social isolation and loneliness in participating communities, focusing particularly on those who are currently not connected or engaged

  • Activate and link social and community activity that is already happening in local communities

  • Establish and strengthen relationships between Upper Murray neighbourhood houses and the health sector, and position our NHs as a vital part of the social prescribing and community resilience environments 

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CCUHP2 commenced in July 2024 and is funded through the Ovens Murray Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Alliance.

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Living Our Best Life community connecting model
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The Living Our Best Life (LOBL) project was funded in 2019 to trial a model of social prescribing inspired by the work of Mendip Health Connections and the Bromley by Bow Centre in the United Kingdom. ‘Social prescribing’ is the practice where health professionals provide a referral for a patient to be linked into social services and activities to address the social determinant contributing to poor health, loneliness and isolation.

 

The impacts of loneliness and isolation on people’s mental health are well understood. However, there is growing evidence that loneliness and isolation also have significant and detrimental impact on physical health. It is an issue that can effect anybody in our community, no matter what age or demographic.

 

LOBL has three key components:​​

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COMMUNITY CONNECTING

This includes social prescribing, other sources of engagement and the process of community connecting. 

 

People enter the program in two main ways: social prescribing from a GP, social worker etc; and self referral eg through signposting, Talking Cafes, marketing material. They participate formally (through the Community Connector) or informally (eg through Talking Cafes and/or signposting). 

 

The Community Connector is a volunteer who will work with the person who has been referred to help them find a social activity that interests them, and then help them to participate until they are able to do so on their own.

 

This component also includes an community directory which identifies all social activity happening in the community, not only what is provided by neighbourhood houses. This online directory is available to anyone in the community.

TALKING CAFES

These are sessions that take place in a café in the general community at regular times (preferably weekly) and hosted by a volunteer. It’s important that the cafes are set up in a public café that is accessible to anyone in the community, not in a neighbourhood house.

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You can listen to Talking Cafe participants talk about their experience here.

SIGNPOSTING

This is providing information and potentially some training to people who are in touch with people who may be quite disconnected. This includes library staff, hairdressers, and people providing home care services. 

The LOBL model has proven to be highly impactful, with 90% of participants reporting improved community involvement, and 100% of referring health professionals reporting a valuable increase in optimism and positivity in patients and all saying they would recommend the program to their peers.

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You can find out more about the LOBL model by visiting the project webpage here.

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​Connecting Community in Upper Hume Phase 2

Through an application process, nine neighbourhood houses have been recruited to the CCUHP2 project. Five of these participated in the Pilot, and will build on their achievements, including strengthening their relationships with the health and medical services:

  • Yarrawonga - Yarrawonga Mulwala Community and Learning Centre

  • Wangaratta – Open Door Neighbourhood House

  • Chiltern – Chiltern Neighbourhood House

  • Mt Beauty – Mt Beauty Neighbourhood Centre

  • Corryong – Corryong Neighbourhood Centre

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An additional four neighbourhood houses will join the project, opening up social prescribing opportunities in four new communities:

  • Tallangatta - Tallangatta Neighbourhood House

  • Wodonga - Birallee Park Neighbourhood House

  • Yackandandah - Yackandandah Community Centre

  • Wangaratta - Pangerang Community Hub

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As with our Pilot project Leanne Fitzgerald, who was integral to developing the LOBL model, will support us as our project consultant. Working with Leanne, we will further develop methods for measuring the impact of our project on people's health, wellbeing and sense of connection, and the LOBL model.

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