Recommendation 15

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommended the Victorian Government:

• establish and recurrently resource ‘community collectives' for mental health and wellbeing in each local government area.
• support each community collective to bring together a diversity of local leaders and community members to guide and lead efforts to promote social connection and inclusion in Victorian communities.
• test and develop a range of initiatives that support community participation, inclusion and connection.
• by the end of 2022, establish one social prescribing trial per region in Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Services to support healthcare professionals to refer people, particularly older Victorians, living with mental illness, into community initiatives.

Social Inclusion Action Groups (originally known as ‘community collectives’) are a flagship prevention initiative that support local communities to drive improved social connection and inclusion in local communities. For example, Social Inclusion Action Groups may test, develop and fund activities to prevent social exclusion and support community participation, inclusion and connection.

Social prescribing can help connect people who are experiencing isolation and loneliness with community groups and supports. For example, arts and creative activities, outdoor activities or volunteering.

Social prescribing trials will give communities the opportunity to trial initiatives that meet their local needs.

This initiative will give consumers and carers the confidence and opportunity to participate in activities that meet their social and wellbeing needs. For example, arts and creative activities, outdoor activities or volunteering.

What we are doing?

The Wellbeing Promotion Office has:

1. established the first 5 Social Inclusion Action Groups, a flagship prevention initiative to drive social connection and inclusion in local communities.
2. established Local Connections – a social prescribing initiative to support people to participate in community-based activities, such as art, nature or other groups and activities to reduce loneliness and social isolation.