Oldham Social Prescribing project wins prestigious EU award

An Oldham-based initiative which prides itself on tackling social issues has been commended in the Innovation in Politics Awards.

This year’s winners include Oldham Thriving Communities – a winner in the Community category.

OTC partners include Oldham Cares, Oldham Council, Action Together, Positive Steps, Mind Tameside and Glossop and Altogether Better.

Social prescribing has gained traction and made headlines in recent years for offering a cost-effective alternative to ‘traditional’ methods of medical treatment.

As part of a holistic idea of what health entails, social prescribing looks at social and lifestyle factors, alongside mental health, to provide treatments for long-term health issues and mental illness, rather than relying on a medical route.

The practice involves prescribing social activities and exercise, such as gardening, cookery, arts clubs and sports as a means to improve health and wellbeing.

Oldham’s residents have worse health than England’s average; life expectancy is more than two years less.

High levels of deprivation and associated health inequalities have a significant impact on health outcomes.

Over £1m has been invested in social prescribing in the area, in a pioneering programme to improve the wellbeing of residents.

The awards are hosted by the Innovation in Politics Institute, based in Vienna, and organised by the royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce (RSA) in the UK.

The RSA has a track record of research into the future of public services, and has long championed innovation and futures thinking in local government and civil society.

This year the RSA has been using its networks and expertise to source some of the best initiatives in the UK for consideration in the awards.

The Innovation in Politics Awards honour the most creative and impactful political projects in Europe, centred around core themes of democracy, human rights and social cohesion.

This year 389 projects were entered, with just nine winners – one for each category of Community, Democracy, Digitalisation, Ecology, Economy, Education, Human Rights, and Quality of Life, with a special category this year for ‘Coping with Covid-19’. 

The winners are chosen by a citizens’ jury of over 1000 people across Europe.

Anthony Painter, Chief Research and Impact Officer at the RSA, said: “In the midst of extremely difficult times for many, our local communities have not stood still.

"Up and down the country, civil society has continued to innovate to meet some of the largest challenges we face today.

"This crisis has forced us to think creatively about how our services can be improved, and we’re hopeful that many of these lessons will be taken forward after the pandemic.

"We’re delighted to be working the with the Institute for Innovation in Politics to showcase how communities in the UK have been pioneering new approaches to social issues in the face of adversity."

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