Featured Project: Community Navigators

Community Navigators is a signposting and support service that helps older people in Bristol feel happier, healthier and less lonely by connecting them with their community.

Community Navigators Southmead offers free personal signposting and support for older people who want to do more in their local area. It aims to improve confidence and wellbeing and tackle loneliness through friendly, trained ‘navigators’, who make contact with older people, get to know them and share information on different things that are happening where they live. Whether it’s meeting people, becoming more active, rekindling old hobbies, volunteering or learning something new, the community navigator can point them in the right direction.

If the person needs extra support, the community navigator can come along with them when they try something for the first time. They can also support the older person with any concerns that they have about getting out and about – including safety, transport or money worries – by connecting them with other community and health services to tackle these problems.

The service, which provides short-term support for older people over 50, is completely free. It is available to people in their home or via phone appointments. Download the Community Navigators Bristol flyer here.

How to access this service:

You can make a self referral or a referral on behalf of someone else by clicking here. You can also Download our factsheet here. If you would like to speak to someone about the Community Navigator project, contact Laura, our Community Navigator Coordinator, on 0117 951 5751 ext. 231.

Community Navigators is a Bristol Ageing Better project, funded by The Big Lottery. It is run by a partnership of trusted local organisations combining their community expertise. North Bristol Advice Centre are working closely with Southmead Development Trust, Ambition Lawrence Weston, Avonmouth Community Centre and Shirehampton Community Action Forum to deliver the service across North Bristol. Bristol Community Health is delivering the service in the rest of the city, in partnership with Barton Hill Settlement and Southville Community Development Association. Click here to visit the main Community Navigators Bristol website.