Social prescribers/ Community Links Practitioners

[AuroraSky]

My GP practice has a service where, (for example) if it comes out during an annual physical health check that a person is very socially isolated, they are offered a referral to the Community Links Practitioner. Other places called them Social Prescriber. Basically that person makes it their business to find out lots of activities going on locally, they then interview the patient about their interests and constraints and tries to recommend suitable activities. I met with mine and he kindly gave me a referral for an appointment with someone from the law centre to give me budgeting advice, and he also recommended I try a Men's Group for taking about men's issues/ messages from society about being a man etc. Others in the group found it a revelation having the opportunity to open up and be vulnerable, but I found it too hard to speak up so only tried it one time. I have felt better attending things online with my local Disability Alliance.

My question is, has anyone else been offered this service and found it helpful? What sort of local activities did they recommend you try? The big limitation of my social anxiety is that I need a group to have a host or facilitator to prompt and encourage me to participate, and I'm trying to think of where I might find it.

[biscuits]

That sounds like a great opportunity because it can be really challenging to navigate this on your own and also it's more motivational to have someone helping out with it.

Perhaps you could put that forward to the CLP and they might be able to find something suitable that is facilitated by a leader. Maybe something like a group therapy that has a specific focus. They might have some contacts where they can find that sort of thing.

Failing that some sort of short course might be good. My local library has all sorts of one session courses e.g. pottery, drumming - they do all sorts of things. Libraries also run book groups and that will be lead by someone and it's a fairly safe interaction as you'll all have the same focal point to base conversations around. It ends up being about the book rather than having to share personal info. I always find conversations around a specific topic easier. I tend to clam up when people want to know about me!