ArticlePerspectives in public health2025
We care but we're not carers: perceptions and experiences of social prescribing in a UK national community organisation.
Article in Perspectives in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Perspectives of stakeholders in Danish voluntary sports clubs on engaging in potential social prescribing programmes: a qualitative case study.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- Cross-sector perspectives on the role of a UK national cultural asset in social prescribing: a qualitative study.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- Models, implementation, and reported outcomes of social prescribing interventions: a scoping review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aims(1) To explore how social prescribing referrals impact experiences of existing members of a voluntary and community-based organisation and (2) to describe the processes and relationships associated with joining community and voluntary organisations.
methodsOnline survey and qualitative interviews with members of Men's Sheds, a global volunteer-led initiative to address loneliness and social isolation in men. 93 self-selecting Shed members (average age 67 years, 93% male) from across England and Scotland took part in the survey about demographics, joining the Shed, and free-text questions about experiences in the Shed. From the survey participants, 21 Shed members were purposively sampled and interviewed to explore the impact of social prescribing and referrals on the Sheds.
resultsParticipating in the Men's Shed was often associated with a significant change in personal circumstances, and Sheds provided a unique social support space, particularly valuable for men. Key factors around experiences of social prescribing and referral mechanisms were identified. We developed three themes: the experience of joining a Shed, success factors and risks of social prescribing, and 'we care but we're not carers'.
conclusionsThe results show that Men's Sheds are a caring organisation, but their members are not trained as professional carers, and men come to the Shed for their own personal reasons. They are concerned about the potential additional responsibilities associated with formal referrals. They encourage the development of relationships and local-level understanding of the essence of Sheds to enable social prescribing. As models of social prescribing grow nationally and internationally, collaboratively working with voluntary and community organisations to develop a mutually beneficial approach is essential for the effectiveness and sustainability of social prescribing in community health.
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