Green Prescriptions

A Green Prescription Rōngoa Kākāriki is a free health and wellness support service available throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

Who are Green Prescriptions for?

Green Prescriptions are for any adult 18 years and over, anywhere in the country, who wants to improve their wellbeing. There are also programmes for your whole whānau (Active Families) and if you are pregnant (Maternal Green Prescriptions). 

It's easy in a busy life with lots of demands on your time and not much money to spare to get into the habit of putting yourself and your needs last. You may also have had trauma and abuse, addiction or mental health issues, or live with a long-term condition or disability. All these things can make it harder to take good care of yourself.

A Green Prescription is a way to get support to make some changes and take charge of your health and wellbeing. You get your own support person to work with you to achieve your goals. They know about courses, programmes and other services available in your area. You can also meet other people in your community who are taking steps to improve their health and wellbeing. This means you get personal attention and also the opportunity for more social connection.

How can I get a Green Prescription?

You can:

This Ministry of Health site provides contact information for all the green prescription regions. 

What will a Green Prescription give me?

Once you receive your Green Prescription, a trained support person will get in touch. Their role is to listen to what your needs are and then support you to make the lifestyle changes you want.

  • They will work with you to identify your goals.
  • Together you can then work out a plan for achieving your goals.
  • They will help you set goals that are achievable and sustainable.
  • They know about the resources, services and programmes available in your area.
  • You will have regular check-ins with your support person so they can keep supporting and encouraging you.
  • There’s also the chance to meet and join other people in your community who are choosing to make changes to improve their health and wellbeing.

What are some of the things people do with a Green Prescription?

With a Green Prescription, you can get support to be more active, take steps to improve your physical and mental health, and to manage a long-term health condition. 

A key part of the Green Prescription is to help you get more active. This may be through a structured course or programme at your local gym, swimming pool, marae or community centre, or it may just be getting support to get going with a more active lifestyle such as through: 

  • walking on your own or in a group
  • swimming or aqua fitness
  • dancing 
  • gardening at your home or a part of a community or marae garden project
  • playing with your family/whānau in the park or backyard

Being active is a key part of the Green Prescription programme because it helps with weight management, sleep and mental wellbeing, as well as improving your cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure. It can help you breathe better, have less pain and reduce your risk of falling, as well as make it less likely you will get some other health conditions, such as some types of cancer.

However, you may also want to use your Green Prescription to do other things, such as to find out about healthy eating and how to cook healthy kai. Other people also use their Green Prescription to get support with their mental health or increase their connection to others in their community. It's about getting support for what you need to improve your health and wellbeing. Activities can be in groups, one to one, or both.

Programmes been run by local Green Prescription providers include monthly sessions providing learning opportunities with cardiac nurses for those living with heart disease and atrial fibrillation, a free, indoor aqua session to find out about local community recreation centre, social cycle groups, healthy kay cooking demonstrations, group outings to climb Rangitoto Island and so on.

Find your regional contact and links to their website.

Maternal Green Prescription 

The Maternal Green Prescription programme offers support and goal setting for the health and wellbeing of you and your family/whānau from the time you get pregnant until after your pēpē is born. Watch these videos to find out more about the Maternal Green Prescription programme.

Active Families

Active Families is a free programme to help you and your children/tamariki to get active and learn about healthy eating. Active Family coordinators support your family/whānau to set goals and get involved in programmes with fun, physical activities that children and parents can enjoy together. You also get meet other families/whānau. Find out more about the Active Families programme. 

Learn more

Green Prescription NZ 
Green Prescription success stories Health Navigator NZ
Activity and Nutrition Aotearoa 
Physical activity Health Navigator NZ
Healthy eating Health Navigator NZ
Take charge resources Health Navigator NZ

Reference

  1. Green Prescriptions Ministry of Health, NZ, 2020
Credits: Health Navigator Editorial Team. Reviewed By: Health Consumer Advisory Member Claudia Johns Last reviewed: 30 Apr 2021