Are you a local voluntary organisation, community or faith group, or social enterprise (VCFSE) interested in or providing social prescribing services?
The National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP) has launched a new Learning Together programme to help you discover the world of social prescribing, make local connections with other organisations delivering services, meet national and local partners working across the region, and explore opportunities to develop your work in social prescribing.
Starting this Autumn, Learning Together is a free, six-month, flexible programme of regional learning and development activities about social prescribing for VCFSE groups and organisations supporting their communities’ needs across the North East, North Cumbria and Yorkshire.
It is being delivered as part of the NASP Thriving Communities programme and supported by national partners, Arts Council England, the Money and Pensions Service, Natural England, Historic England, NHS England and NHS Improvement, NHS Charities Together and Sport England.
VONNE, as the North East regional VCSE infrastructure support organisation, is proud to be the North East and Yorkshire regional lead for the Thriving Communities programme, and to be delivering the Learning Together programme this Autumn/Winter alongside our regional VCSE infrastructure partners across Yorkshire and Humber, and North Cumbria.
Jane Harley, Thriving Communities regional lead for the North East and Yorkshire, comments: “Social prescribing is already transforming the lives of thousands of people across our region. We recognise that for social prescribing to work, we need to build connections between health and care partners and ensure we have a strong and vibrant local voluntary and community sector.
“The Learning Together programme is a fantastic opportunity for local VCFSE organisations to connect with their peers, social prescribing leads, and Thriving Communities partners in the fields of arts, natural environment, financial wellbeing, physical activity and health and care.
“It’s a place to gain new ideas, develop partnerships across sectors, and to celebrate the work already happening across our region.”
What’s on offer?
Participants will be able to take part in a series of online workshops and virtual learning sessions organised regionally, as well as exclusive opportunities to network with others on Learning Together from the North East and Yorkshire.
The programme includes:
- National and regional webinars - to help participants find out more about social prescribing, learn from established services/provisions, discover how they can get involved in this growing area, and explore opportunities for the VCFSE sector.
- Action Learning Sets and leadership development workshops - to give participants time and space to explore options and solutions with peers and develop their work in the area of social prescribing.
- Regional peer networking - to discuss challenges and opportunities, ask questions, and make relevant and useful contacts with other community leaders involved in social prescribing.
Learning Together is free to join, runs for six months, and is open to VCFSE organisations across the North East, North Cumbria and Yorkshire. We would encourage you to join the full programme of activities to get the most out of it for you and your organisation, with a commitment of at least two hours each month.
For more details about the programme take a look at our Learning Together information pack.
The programme kick starts on Wednesday, September 29th, 2 - 3.30pm, with an online welcome session. Activities run from October 2021 through to March 2022.
How do I register?
To register, complete this short online form by Friday, September 17th, 2021. Applications are open to individuals working in or with VCFSE organisations or community groups, but numbers are restricted to a maximum of two people per organisation/group.