Social Prescribing for 16-25 year olds

Report - 16 July 2020

We engaged with people aged 16-25 via an on-line survey and focus groups to find out what they thought about Social Prescribing and to understand activities they are currently involved with and what the benefits and potential barriers there are.

‘There are some issues that can’t be fixed by medicine alone’

Key Findings

51% of people who completed the questionnaire said they would be ‘very likely’ or ‘quite likely to join a club, group or activity that could help with particular problems such as feeling lonely or stressed out by school, college, work, money or housing. 42% of those already taking part felt that the club, group or activity helped with problems like these. The top five reasons given by this group for not going or stopping going in the future were:

lack of time
transport
difficulties with meeting people for the first time
lack of interest
cost

When we asked people not currently taking part in any kind of group or activity the same question the response was similar. Although not the first answer given, the issue of not wanting to go to a group on their own and shyness were reasons given by both groups.

50% of people not already involved in an organised activity said they would be ‘very likely’ or ‘quite likely’ to consider being part of an activity to help other people.

People we spoke to in the focus groups placed great importance on the Social Prescriber and people offering 1:1 support or running groups. They wanted to speak to someone who was friendly, took them seriously and related well to young people. Several people mentioned that they would like the person to have had similar experiences to them and act as a mentor.

As part of the recent development of the Children and Young People’s Task and Finish group on Emotional health and wellbeing, children and young people’s social prescribing is one of the projects that the group has identified, and that has received endorsement from Shropshire Council for us to progress. This will therefore be a useful first piece of work that can support its development.

Consultant in Public Health, Shropshire Council