Social Prescriber

Also known as Neighbourhood Social Prescriber or Social Prescribing Link Worker.

Social Prescribers work with healthcare professionals to help people to learn about new opportunities to improve their health and wellbeing. A social prescriber can also motivate and support individuals one to one to achieve the change(s) that they want to achieve particularly if their life has been impacted by problems with financial issues, loneliness and isolation, family problems, unemployment or housing issues.  

Social Prescribers will work to support improving healthy lifestyles and activities. They may connect people with befriending services, connecting with local voluntary and community (VCSE) interest groups, support accessing education and further learning.

GPs and other health and social care professionals can refer local people into Social Prescribing services. 

Patients of the Social Prescribing and Lifestyle Advisor Service at Worcestershire Association of Carers have shared their experience of the service :

Thank you so much for giving me hope that I can be integrated back into the community. After eighteen
months of living in such a restricted world, it is just the prospect of potentially regaining some mobility
and independence, outside my front door, that has re-invigorated me. I will certainly follow up the suggestions that you have made to me…You are doing such wonderful work.

Community Builder

Worcestershire Community Builders work locally in each of Worcestershire’s six districts. 

A Community Builder is a unique role focused on supporting the development of strong, thriving, and welcoming communities. They develop an in-depth knowledge of local people, organisations, and resources, and can support residents to develop ideas they have for their neighbourhoods. 

Community Builders can support residents by connecting people with shared interests, supporting people to find out more about what is already happening in their local area, or simply helping them to meet more people. 

Community Builders can also support residents wishing to start new community groups or develop new initiatives in their community.  

More information about Community Builders in Worcestershire: 

Click here to find out if there is a Community Builder working in your area

Community Connector

Community Connectors provide a range of social and wellbeing group activities, to support people who may be experiencing either social isolation or low-level stress and anxiety. 

Community Connectors help individuals raise their self-esteem and confidence by accessing a range of learning, social and volunteering opportunities. 

Services are non-judgemental and support according to an individual’s needs helping people make positive lifestyle changes and increase their social networks within their local community. 

Community Connectors support can include social and wellbeing activities, Low level mental health support through positive community participation, one-to-one support sessions, either face-to-face or by telephone, support in accessing benefits, debt and financial advice or signposting and referring to other appropriate local opportunities and local agencies.  

More information about Community Catalysts in Worcestershire:

Community Connectors with Worcester Community Trust 

Community Mental Health Link Worker

Community Mental Health Link Workers can guide and support patients through local health, social care and neighbourhood services and empower them to manage their own health and wellbeing using techniques, tools and strategies that help them to improve the quality of their lives and live well.  

Community Mental Health Link Workers also support people to connect with essential specialist services where they can receive help with housing or money advice or alternatively to form connections in their local community with support groups and activities. Link Workers are essential and help people with mental health to build their confidence and resilience by meeting new people and making new friendships and peer support groups. 

Community Mental Health Link Workers can also support people to take up learning and training opportunities, new interests or to get involved and volunteer! 

More information about Community Mental Health Link Workers in Worcestershire:  

ONSIDE – Independent Advocacy in Worcestershire (onside-advocacy.org.uk) 

Lifestyle Advisor

Lifestyle Advisors can offer advice, information and support to individuals looking to make positive lifestyle changes. This could include enabling someone to find out how to become more active, eat more healthily, reduce the amount of alcohol consumption, or to support smoking cessation.  

Lifestyle Advisors can help motivate individuals seeking to make changes and can offer practical strategies and ideas for overcoming barriers and challenges in their lives. Advisors can help people to identify and develop a plan of action to help someone get from where they are to where they want to be. 

Support may be one to one through face to face appointments or using telephone consultations. Lifestyle Advisors could also seek to develop group-based opportunities for those that prefer this level of support. Lifestyle Advice Services are free and accessed by people through their GP practice. 

More information about Lifestyle Advisor Services in Worcestershire: 

Lifestyle Advisor service at South Worcestershire Citizens Advice

Lifestyle Advisor service at Worcestershire Association of Carers

Lifestyle Advisor service at Onside

Community Catalyst

Community Catalysts build on local people’s strengths in order to empower and support them to develop their own community enterprises. The community enterprises focus on supporting and helping older and disabled people in their areas.  Community Catalysts help people to develop community enterprises that could generate their own income and deliver the much-needed support in our communities, helping local people to help other local people. 

Community Catalysts support and work with older and disabled people to create outcomes around having good lives at home and in their local community.  

The work is delivered alongside Worcestershire County Council and the support offered includes projects for personal care, help in the home and companionship, handyperson services, and home-cooked food deliveries. The service has also supported 2 new centres to get set up offering activities for people with learning disabilities and a yoga instructor to focus on delivering seated yoga classes 

More information about Community Catalysts in Worcestershire: 

Worcestershire – Community Catalysts