Local Connections – a social prescribing initiative

Recommendation 15.4 of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (Royal Commission) recognised that communities play a critical role in supporting mental health and wellbeing, particularly social connectedness. It recommended the Victorian Government trial social prescribing in the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals (Local Services).

What we are doing

Local Connections is a social prescribing initiative being trialled in the first six Local Services (Frankston, Latrobe and Benalla-Wangaratta-Mansfield, Brimbank, Geelong-Queenscliffe and Whittlesea). It supports people who are experiencing loneliness and social isolation to engage in community-based activities to build a sense of belonging and social connections. People may be supported to attend activities such as art, creative, nature or other groups and activities.

Link workers will help strengthen pathways between Local Services and community initiatives and activities to reduce loneliness and social isolation. They will support people to build their confidence and participation in activities and social groups.

Older Victorians will be one of the priority groups for these trials. People may self-refer or be referred via Local Services.

Implementation of the rest of this recommendation is not scheduled to commence this year. This page will be updated when information is available.

Further information can be found in the local connections fact sheet.

How the model was developed

Local Connections was co-designed by people with lived and living experience of psychological distress, mental illness and addiction, including carers, families and supporters. They designed the social prescribing experience and the role of the link worker, including the qualities, responsibilities and experiences required of the role.

The Wellbeing Promotion Office worked with Today, a strategic design agency, to undertake this co-design process. We thank our co-design partners for their work on this important project.

Find out more

Have questions or want to learn more about a project? Please contact wellbeingpromotion@health.vic.gov.au.