Place Navigators
Connecting local communities to get moving for wellbeing
The Find Your Active Place Navigators continue to play a vital role in supporting residents of all ages to become more active and feel more connected to their communities. Embedded within trusted local organisations, Navigators provide personalised, relational support that helps people overcome barriers, discover suitable activities, and build the confidence to sustain long‑term lifestyle changes.
As part of the key offer, when the Find Your Active behaviour change campaign launched in 2021, the then known Community Connectors, have been pivotal ever since to help connect residents with local physical activity opportunities within their community.
Utilising an asset-based community development approach, the Place Navigators are hosted with community organisations, embedded within the local area, to understand the varying needs of the public, providing vital insight to Active Essex on the opportunities and gaps within the area.
Over the past year, the programme has grown through strengthened partnerships and clear evidence that Navigator support is a key driver in reducing inactivity, encouraging people to try new things, and raising awareness of local opportunities. Working as place‑based connectors, the navigators listen to individual needs, offer tailored signposting, strengthen community relationships, and provide valuable insights into local gaps and emerging trends.
With the navigators now hosted by local community organisations, it has helped them to further strengthen their relationships with community services and groups to ensure they’re aware of the support the navigators are able to provide. This has been particularly prevalent with Social Prescribers and referral organisations.
Active Essex provides the strategic leadership and co-ordination that ensures the navigators are delivered consistently and sustainably across the county. The team aligns the programme with wider Find Your Active priorities, connects districts with delivery partners, administers funding with clear expectations, and ensures that the impact captured by navigators is effectively shared with system partners and professionals.
The navigators are hosted by a wide range of trusted local organisations, including ATF, Changing Lives, CVST, Maldon CVS, Castle Point Leisure, Megacentre, Sport for Confidence, and WeCAN. Their local presence ensures support is rooted in community context, relationships, and real insight.
Participant Case Study
A young male was referred to a FYA Navigator by a local mental health charity after feeling low and becoming inactive. Following an initial conversation to explore his interests, he was signposted to a free beginners’ running course and a local cycling initiative. Within a few weeks, colleagues reported he had been attending the running sessions regularly and had independently signed up for the cycling course. They described the impact as significant, noting that the activity had made a real difference to his mental health and overall wellbeing. I’ve been following the FYA Navigators Facebook Page for a while but tonight was the first time I went along to try a class and met X (FYA Navigator). X was so lovely and encouraging, X has tried so many of the classes that she can give invaluable feedback on suitability for me. I was unable to exercise for a while and speaking to X and trying the class has given me the confidence to return.
Key Learnings
It's important to take time to reflect and understand the learnings from work undertaken, in order to focus on ways to improve in the future.
Human Connection
Trusted support boosts engagement, navigators make a transformative difference.
Local Embedding
Navigators in communities build trust, raise awareness, deepen relationships.
Their support is now sparking its own mini‑communities. Through tools like Facebook groups, residents encourage each other to try new activities, sometimes joining in groups after seeing a Navigator post about attending a session themselves.
Navigators are currently updating local activity mapping to help wider professionals signpost effectively. The roles are confirmed until December 2026, with hopes to continue beyond, supporting even more people to Find Their Active.
