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What is 'Healthy Me, Healthy Community'?

‘Healthy Me, Healthy Community’ is a 15-week social support program designed to support, encourage, and empower you to engage or re-engage with social connection and activities of your choosing.

If you’ve been feeling a bit down, lonely, lost, or isolated, this is the perfect program to get you back into doing what you love.

It’s all based on the ‘social prescribing’ approach. Think of it as a prescription for our social lives: a way of getting involved with things that have a positive impact on your health and wellbeing, such as volunteering, social groups, arts, cultural events and exercise.

Best of all, the program is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN program and is delivered by Feros Care, free of charge for you!

Sign up or learn more about the program

Watch this video to learn how social prescribing works

Am I eligible for the program?

You may like to ask yourself...

  • Do I want to feel more connected to my community?
  • Would I like to meet new friends, participate in community activities, and learn new skills?
  • Do I want to feel more confident?
  • Would I be interested in volunteering and helping others?

If you've answered yes to any of the above, and you are 18 years of age and residing in the Port Macquarie region, this program could be the perfect fit for you.

How much does the program cost?

 It’s free of charge to participants in the Port Macquarie region.

Costs associated with participating in social groups, community or physical activities and services of your choosing are your responsibility.

This program is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN program, and delivered by Feros Care.

Healthy North Coast - PHN North Coast, an Australian Government Initiative - Feros Care

How does the program work?

Step one
Enquiry & eligibility

You can get in touch with us directly to enquire about the program; or your General Practitioner (GP), aged care provider, service provider or health professional might refer you to us.

Once we’ve received your enquiry or referral, we’ll contact you to check that you’re eligible for the program.

Step two
Book appointment

If we think the program will be a good fit*, we’ll book an appointment for our Wellbeing Coach to visit you at a time that works for you.

* Don’t worry if the program is not quite right for you! We’ll refer to another program that best suits your needs.

Step three
Create a What Matters to Me plan

The Wellbeing Coach will work with you to understand how you’re feeling, and the things you could achieve - such as seeing friends and family, or getting back into activities you used to enjoy. Together, you will create a plan to get these things into your life.

Step four
Ongoing support

Over 15 weeks, your Wellbeing Coach will continue to work with you, the community and organisations to support you to make the connections you need, until you’ve found your feet again.

Step five
Review & set ongoing plan

At the end of the program, your Wellbeing Coach will help you see how far you have come and set a plan to keep going, with further links and support as required!

Sign up for the program

How could this program help me?

At Feros Care, we are all about helping people live healthier, happier and better-connected lives, and that’s what this program is here to do.

Social connections are the greatest protector against mortality. But as individuals, we rank them the least important.

Social prescribing can reduce chronic disease, depression and suicidal behaviour, reliance on medication and substance abuse.

Social prescribing has been proven to improve social confidence, physical and mental wellbeing, sense of purpose and health self management.

Learn more about social prescribing

I’ve become rather shy over the last two years due to COVID-19, cooped up at home. It’s really no good for my mental health. Feros has really brought me out and given me more confidence to get back into the things I love.

Sonia, Social prescribing program particitpant

Read more of Sonia's story

Helpful resources

We’ve created some helpful social prescribing resources to provide some more information and to help you share the benefits of social prescribing with your community!