Find Your Active Navigator
Connecting People to Physical Activity Through Local Support
Launched to help residents become more active in ways that fit their lives, the Find Your Active Place Navigator role supports people across Brentwood to access physical activity and wellbeing opportunities through personalised guidance, trusted relationships and local signposting. In 2025, the Brentwood Place Navigator delivered exceptional community reach and engagement, strengthening connections and improving access to activity for priority groups.
The Brentwood Navigator role is delivered by Carol, a long‑term local resident with a background in nursing and education. Her strong understanding of the area, combined with lived experience of adapting activity across life stages, has enabled a highly personalised and inclusive approach. Through consistent presence at community venues, health settings and events, the role has embedded physical activity into everyday local conversations and support systems.
Although the Navigator is employed by ATF, Active Essex provides strategic support and coordination. This includes fortnightly check‑ins to support delivery, align activity with local priorities, identify new audiences and maximise community impact. This collaboration ensures the role remains responsive, well‑integrated and continually evolving.
Key learnings
It's important to take time to reflect and understand the learnings from work undertaken, to focus on ways to improve in the future
Follow‑up Challenges
Long‑term outcomes are difficult to track once individuals are signposted into activity.
Sustained Engagement
Follow‑ups show sustained attendance at activities such as walking groups and indoor bowls.
Wider Impact
The role has supported small grant access and improved confidence, purpose and social connection....
How will this work continue to develop?
Looking ahead, the focus will be on strengthening evidence of impact by improving, where possible, the tracking of referral outcomes and conversion from signposting to sustained physical activity. The Place Navigator will continue to build and deepen relationships across Brentwood, ensuring the role is well known and accessible to individuals who would benefit most from support. Digital engagement will be sustained and refined by reviewing which content resonates most and aligning this with community events. Alongside this, the role will continue to broaden its reach by connecting into new networks and spaces, working through partners to maximise access to physical activity and movement opportunities for local residents.
