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TALKING CAFES

​Talking Cafes are an integral part of the Living Our Best Life social prescribing model, and have proven to be highly impactful in the both phases of Connecting Community in Upper Hume.

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You can find Talking Cafes at the following locations:

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Chiltern (Chin Wag Cafe)

  • Location: Lulu and Didge Cafe, 46 Conness Street, Chiltern

  • When: every Thursday, 10.00 to 11.00am

  • Find out more here or call Maree on (03) 5726 1405 

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Mt Beauty

  • Location: Beauty Cafe, Hollands Street, Mt Beauty

  • When: 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, 10.30am to 12pm

  • Find out more here

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Tallangatta (Connecting Community Cafe)

  • Location: Yellow Picket Fence, 23 Towong Street, Tallangatta

  • When: 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, 10.00 to 11.00am

  • Find out more here

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Also:

  • Connecting Community Cuppa, Tallangatta Neighbourhood House, 2nd Wednesday of each month, 2.00pm

  • Connecting Community Lunch, Tallangatta Neighbourhood House, 4th Wednesday or each month, 12.00pm

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Wangaratta (Pangerang Community Hub)

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  • Location: 1880 Cafe & Takeaway, Glenrowan

  • When: every Monday, 11am to 12pm

  • Find out more here

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Wangaratta (Connecting Community Cafe, Open Door Neighbourhood House)

  • Location: Intermezzo, Corner of Ford and Ovens Streets, Wangaratta

  • When: every Thursday, 10.00 to 11.00am (during school terms)

  • Find out more here 

 

Also: 

  • Connecting Community Cuppa, Open Door Neighbourhood House, Tuesdays at 10.00am

 

Wodonga (Connecting Cafe)

  • Birallee Cafe and Restaurant, Birallee Village Shopping Centre, Corner of Melrose Drive & Leisure Centre Drive, West Wodonga

  • When: every Tuesday, 10.00 to 11.00am (keep an eye out for the signage and balloons on the table!)

  • Find out more here

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Yackandandah (Yack Chat Cafe)

  • Location: Gum Tree Pies, 10 High Street Yackandandah

  • When: every Wednesday, 2.00 to 3.00pm

  • Find out more here

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Yarrawonga

  • Location: Four Winds Cafe, 72 Woods Rd, Yarrawonga

  • When: 1st Monday of each month, 10.00 to 11.00am

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  • Location: Tame Cafe, Shop 2 137 -139 Belmore Street , Yarrawonga

  • When: 2nd Monday of each month, 10.00 to 11.00am

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  • Location: Lake Mulwala Bakery, 107 Melbourne St, Mulwala

  • When: 3rd Monday of each month, 10.00 to 11.00am

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  • Location: Max's on the Lake, 2a Irvine Parade, Yarrawonga

  • When: 4th Monday of each month, 10.00 to 11.00am

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  • Location: Yarrawonga Mulwala Community and Learning Centre, 1 Hargrove Court, Yarrawonga

  • When: every Friday, 10.00 to 11.00am

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COMMUNITY CONNECTING

This includes social prescribing, other sources of engagement and the process of community connecting. 

 

People enter the program in two main ways: social prescribing from a GP, social worker etc; and self referral eg through signposting, Talking Cafes, marketing material. They participate formally (through the Community Connector) or informally (eg through Talking Cafes and/or signposting). 

 

The Community Connector is a volunteer who will work with the person who has been referred to help them find a social activity that interests them, and then help them to participate until they are able to do so on their own.

 

This component also includes an community directory which identifies all social activity happening in the community, not only what is provided by neighbourhood houses. This online directory is available to anyone in the community.

TALKING CAFES

These are sessions that take place in a café in the general community at regular times (preferably weekly) and hosted by a volunteer. It’s important that the cafes are set up in a public café that is accessible to anyone in the community, not in a neighbourhood house.

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You can listen to Talking Cafe participants talk about their experience here.

SIGNPOSTING

This is providing information and potentially some training to people who are in touch with people who may be quite disconnected. This includes library staff, hairdressers, and people providing home care services. 

The LOBL model has proven to be highly impactful, with 90% of participants reporting improved community involvement, and 100% of referring health professionals reporting a valuable increase in optimism and positivity in patients and all saying they would recommend the program to their peers.

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You can find out more about the LOBL model by visiting the project webpage here.

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​Connecting Community in Upper Hume Phase 2

Through an application process, nine neighbourhood houses have been recruited to the CCUHP2 project. Five of these participated in the Pilot, and will build on their achievements, including strengthening their relationships with the health and medical services:

  • Yarrawonga - Yarrawonga Mulwala Community and Learning Centre

  • Wangaratta – Open Door Neighbourhood House

  • Chiltern – Chiltern Neighbourhood House

  • Mt Beauty – Mt Beauty Neighbourhood Centre

  • Corryong – Corryong Neighbourhood Centre

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An additional four neighbourhood houses will join the project, opening up social prescribing opportunities in four new communities:

  • Tallangatta - Tallangatta Neighbourhood House

  • Wodonga - Birallee Park Neighbourhood House

  • Yackandandah - Yackandandah Community Centre

  • Wangaratta - Pangerang Community Hub

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As with our Pilot project Leanne Fitzgerald, who was integral to developing the LOBL model, will support us as our project consultant. Working with Leanne, we will further develop methods for measuring the impact of our project on people's health, wellbeing and sense of connection, and the LOBL model.

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