Our partnership work means that NCVS hosts a number of programmes and projects in support of Nottingham's communities. Some of these have become firmly embedded in our organisation, while others have a time-limited focus.
Practice Development Unit (PDU)
The Practice Development Unit is co-ordinated by NCVS in partnership with the Changing Futures programme, sharing learning and good practice around experiences of severe multiple disadvantage (SMD). The PDU has been hosted within NCVS since 2017.
GreenSpace
GreenSpace is the name we've given to the green social prescribing programme in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Nottingham Integrated Care System (ICS) was selected as one of seven government 'Green Social Prescribing Test and Learn sites' to run a two-year pilot nature-based programme from April 2021. NCVS led the pilot locally, and we are continuing to work with partners across the ICS to further embed and scale up green social prescribing to support more personalised approaches in health services and pathways.
Travel Well
NCVS is part of a new Active Travel social prescribing pilot project in Nottingham, in partnership with Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City General Practice Alliance (NCGPA).
Locally, the project is known as Travel Well. The trial (officially launched in January 2024) will give healthcare professionals and social prescribers the ability to refer patients to services that promote walking, cycling and wheeling delivered within the community. It is funded by UK government executive agency, Active Travel England (ATE).
Heritage Buddies
NCVS is working in partnership with Historic England to lead on a new Heritage Buddies Project. This is an innovative pilot project to test and trial an approach to delivering social prescribing and wellbeing through heritage in local settings. Our pilot is operating across Nottingham City.