Community Health Centre wins national innovation award
GUELPH – Guelph Community Health Centre’s health promotion team won the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing’s social prescribing innovation award.
Social prescribing is when social workers connect people with non-clinical supports and community resources to address individual and community needs based on social health determinants.
The award recognizes individuals, teams and organizations driving meaningful change in their communities through social prescribing.
Selected from over 100 nominees across Canada, the team was recognized for its groundbreaking work embedding social prescribing into holistic care, officials state in a press release.
Since 2018, the health promotion team has “transformed how health is experienced – connecting people to programs that foster belonging, creativity and purpose while improving workflows for providers through social prescribing,” the release continues.
In 2025, the team facilitated over 265 social prescriptions and built 19 community partnerships, driving system-level change and shaping the future of community-based health, it states.
“This award reflects our commitment to reimagining health care beyond the clinical setting,” said Kate Vsetula, director of funding and community development.
“Social prescribing helps people feel connected and supported, which is essential for overall well-being.”
The social prescribing impact awards celebrate the creativity, dedication and collaboration shaping the future of social prescribing in Canada.
“Guelph Community Health Centre is proud to be among the innovators leading this movement,” officials state.
