Social prescribing
Connection, purpose and support, beyond traditional services.
Sometimes what helps isn't another appointment. It might be somewhere to go, someone who remembers your name, something useful to do, a reason to get outside, or a regular conversation with someone you trust.
Social prescribing connects people with support and opportunities within their community. At Wild Mind Well-Being, that can include professional one-to-one support alongside community, nature, animals, practical activity and volunteering.
Or simply finding somewhere you feel you belong.
In plain English
What does social prescribing mean?
Social prescribing is a way of connecting people with non-medical support, activities and opportunities in their local community.
People may be introduced through a Social Prescribing Link Worker, GP practice, another professional or a community organisation. People can also find and contact services themselves.
Social prescribing recognises that wellbeing can be affected by much more than health alone. Connection, relationships, confidence, routine, purpose, activity and belonging can all matter.
Discovery and referral
Find Wild Mind Well-Being on Joy
Wild Mind Well-Being CIC is registered on Joy, where community services can be discovered by individuals and professionals. Our individual services are being listed separately so people and referrers can identify opportunities relevant to them.
Find us on JoyAlready working with someone who uses Joy? Ask your Social Prescribing Link Worker or other professional whether a referral to Wild Mind Well-Being may be appropriate.
How people reach us
Four steps, no forms to wrestle with
Step 1
Find us
Discover Wild Mind Well-Being directly, through Joy, or through another professional or community organisation.
Step 2
Tell us what matters
You don't need to know which Wild Mind service you need. Tell us what's happening, what matters to you and what you'd like to be different.
Step 3
Explore the options
We can discuss whether mentoring, counselling and wellbeing support, a community activity, Men's Shed, volunteering or another opportunity might be appropriate.
Step 4
Agree what happens next
We'll explain what's available, whether there's a charge and whether any funded places are currently available. If we're not the right service, we'll be honest about that.
Social & green prescribing
People. Nature. Animals. Purpose.
Our Buckinghamshire farm gives Wild Mind Well-Being the opportunity to offer something different from conventional support environments.
Depending on the person and current opportunities, this may involve:
- Men's Shed
- Volunteering
- Horticulture and growing
- Woodland projects
- Conservation
- Practical farm projects
- Rescue and sanctuary projects
- Appropriate animal-related activities
- Making and repairing
- Outdoor activity
- Community connection
- Purposeful practical work
Participation with animals or outdoor activities is always optional, and we don't promise clinical or medical outcomes.
These activities may help people develop:
- Social connection
- Routine
- Confidence
- Participation and purpose
- Practical skills
- Community involvement and opportunities to contribute
One-to-one support
Sometimes support starts with one person.
Some people aren't ready to walk into a group. Some need a consistent relationship first. Others simply benefit more from individual support.
Mentoring
Private mentoring for teenagers and adults. £90 per session.
Neurodivergent Support
Individual, affirming support shaped around the person's needs.
Counselling & Wellbeing
Appropriate support delivered by practitioners within their professional qualifications and scope of practice.
Recovery & Resilience
Non-judgemental support during and following addiction, crisis or significant life events, as well as preventative resilience-building.
Professional referrals
Tell us about the person, not the paperwork
Professionals don't need to decide exactly which Wild Mind service is appropriate before contacting us. Tell us about the person, what matters to them and what they hope to gain, and we can explore whether there's an appropriate opportunity.
We welcome enquiries and referrals from:
- Social Prescribing Link Workers
- GP practices and Primary Care Networks
- Local authorities and social care
- Charities, voluntary and community organisations
- Recovery services
- Education professionals
- Health and wellbeing professionals and other support organisations
Self-referral
You don't need a professional referral.
You don't need a GP referral, diagnosis or Social Prescribing Link Worker to start a conversation with us. If something here feels as though it might be useful, get in touch.
Why Wild Mind
More than somewhere to refer.
For some people, one-to-one support may be the right starting point. For others, it may be a workshop, a cup of tea, an animal, a practical job or simply somewhere they feel comfortable returning to. Often, it's a combination.
People
Trusted relationships and appropriate professional support.
Community
Places to participate, contribute and belong.
Nature
Access to outdoor environments and meaningful activity.
Animals
Rescue and sanctuary environments and appropriate opportunities for connection.
Purpose
Practical projects, volunteering, making, learning and contribution.
Funders & commissioners
Help us make more places accessible.
Wild Mind Well-Being already has the people, community infrastructure and farm environment from which social and green prescribing opportunities can be developed. Funding can help us remove financial barriers and create structured programmes for people who may otherwise be unable to access support.
Potential areas for partnership and programme development, not current funded programmes:
- Neurodivergent mentoring
- Subsidised teen mentoring
- Adult mentoring
- Counselling and wellbeing
- Addiction recovery
- Post-crisis reconnection
- Resilience and early intervention
- Social isolation
- Men's Shed
- Green social prescribing
- Purposeful volunteering
- Nature and wellbeing
- Community connection