Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing

As the year comes to a close, we’re grateful for the strength of #community and the power of #connection driving #SocialPrescribing across Canada. 💙

Wishing you a season filled with warmth, rest, and meaningful connection.

We are honoured to share that we received the Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Award from the University of Toronto, for excellence in #health communications.

Thank you to our partners, collaborators, & communities — together we’re building a healthier, more #connected future. 💙

We were proud to have CISP’s Senior PM, Srija Biswas, represent 🇨🇦 at the ASPIRE #SocialPrescribing Conference in Australia last week. Huge congratulations to our Scientific Director, @katemulligan.bsky.social, awarded the ASPIRE Change Maker Award for global inspiration! 🌎

Systematic review of social prescribing and older adults: where to from here? Objective Social prescribing is a person-centred model of care with emphases on lessening the impact of unmet social needs, supporting the delivery of personalised care, and reducing non-medical resou...

‼️Pop quiz‼️

A 2022 systematic review of 7 global social prescribing studies revealed that social prescribing increases:

A. Health confidence

B. Health status

C. Physical Activity

D. Social connection

E. All of the above

doi.org/10.1136/fmch...

We’re inspired by Fraser Health’s progress and the potential of these grants to improve quality of life for seniors and their families. This is another important step in advancing social prescribing across Canada.

@cspsc.ca

This work builds on their leadership in connecting seniors with community resources for physical activity, engagement, caregiver support, & food security.

With 21 seniors’ connectors already supporting 15 communities, these investments will help more older adults age well at home & in community.

Through these development grants, Fraser Health, in partnership with United Way British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and The University of British Columbia, will be able to strengthen evaluation and expand access to social prescribing.

💡 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚

Fraser Health Authority has been awarded two Michael Smith Health Research BC grants to advance social prescribing for older adults.

🔗 Learn more:
www.fraserhealth.ca/news/2025/Au...

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to strengthen an existing initiative, this conversation offers practical insights and lessons from the field to support your journey.

In this session, we heard from teams who are building and expanding social prescribing.

They shared:
✔️ The strengths they built on
✔️ The barriers they faced
✔️ The strategies they used to keep momentum going; from laying early groundwork to moving toward long-term integration

YouTube video by The Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing Starting and Scaling Social Prescribing

💻 Missed our first session of our #socialprescribing webinar series? The recording is now available!

👉 Watch the recording here: youtube.com/watch?v=tGSv...

Hear first-hand from SP Connectors and their managers on:
✅ A day in the life of a Connector
✅ How the role is evolving in Canada and beyond
✅ The skills and competencies that drive success
✅ Strategies for sustainable funding
✅ Collaborating with healthcare and community partners

Social Prescribing Connectors—also called Link Workers, Community Connectors, and Navigators—are the bridge between healthcare and community support. They connect people to the resources, relationships, and opportunities that improve wellbeing.

YouTube video by The Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing Bridging Health and Community Care: The Essential Role of Social Prescribing Connectors

Missed our webinar last week? You’ll want to catch this one. 🎥

▶️ Watch the recording here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm8l...

This new study by Kiffer G. Card, Kate Mulligan, Sonia Hsiung, Srija Biswas, and fellow Canadian researchers Vivian Welch, Maksim Muratov, Paul Hebert, Cindy Yu & Michelle Nelson examines how trust shapes older adults’ interest, participation & engagement in social prescribing.

🔍 From 4,136 survey respondents & 43 focus group participants:
▪️ Trust in people (link workers, healthcare providers) can differ from trust in systems.
▪️ Interpersonal skills & time with clients help bridge the gap.
▪️ Trust is essential to effective social prescribing.

The Importance of Trust Among Older Adults Throughout the Social Prescribing Pathway: A Mixed-Methods Analysis - International Journal of Community Well-Being Loneliness and social isolation pose significant health risks to older adults and necessitates the development and application of novel interventions to effectively tackle this critical issue. Social ...

Trust is ✨𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥✨ — especially when it comes to supporting older adults through social prescribing.

📖 Read "The Importance of Trust Among Older Adults Throughout the Social Prescribing Pathway: A Mixed-Methods Analysis” here: bit.ly/4mHr84O

📅 Tomorrow!

Join us for the 2nd webinar in our #SocialPrescribing series:
Bridging Health and Community Care: The Essential Role of Social Prescribing Connectors

🔗 Register now: zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Whether it’s a student, researcher, connector, or innovator, we want to hear their story.

🏆 Award categories:
🔹 Innovation
🔹 Connector
🔹 Researcher/Research Team
🔹 Student Champion
🔹 Changemaker

We’ve been inspired by the nominations coming in and heard from many of you that a little more time would help—so we’re giving it to you!

Let’s keep the momentum going and celebrate the people and programs shaping the future of social prescribing in Canada.

⏳ Good news—nominations for the 2025 Social Prescribing Impact Awards are now open until August 15!

Nominate a colleague, program, or team—or yourself—by August 15, 2025 👉https://surveymonkey.ca/r/QPCPWD7

Hear from:
🔸 United Way British Columbia
🔸 Parkgate Society
🔸 Jewish Family Services Calgary
🔸 Brighter Living Partnership

Join us for a deep dive into how this role is evolving and the impact it has the potential to make on people’s lives.

Who are social prescribing connectors—and why are they so essential?

Also called link workers, navigators, or community connectors, they help bridge the gap between clinical care and community supports.

📅 Wed, Aug 6
🕛 12 PM ET
🔗 Register now: zoom.us/webinar/regi...

@cspsc.ca

Last year, we celebrated incredible changemakers who are leading the way in connecting health and community — just like the inspiring folks pictured here☝️

@allianceon.bsky.social

Now, it’s your turn to help us recognize the next wave of leaders, innovators, and connectors driving real impact.

🏆 Nominations are open for the 2025 Social Prescribing Impact Awards!

By nominating someone, you’re not just giving them the spotlight — you’re strengthening a growing movement for more integrated, equitable, and person-centred care in Canada.

🔗 Nominate now: lnkd.in/gUiAkbKw

Learn how about SP Connectors are bridging health and social care to:

✅ Address social determinants of health
✅ Improve equity and access
✅ Strengthen relationships between people and their communities

Around the world, Social Prescribing Connectors are transforming how we deliver health and wellbeing—not through medicine, but through connection.

Join us August 6 for the second installment of our #SocialPrescribing webinar series.

🔗 Register now: zoom.us/webinar/regi...

📍 Next stop: Ontario. We’re learning, listening, and building a national movement—one community at a time.

#CaregiverRx #SocialPrescribing #Caregivers #CommunityCare #IntegratedCare #HealthEquity

The message was clear: 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭—𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞.

@redcrosscanada.bsky.social