Community-minded residents are making a real difference in the areas they live in by being the 'eyes and ears' of their neighbourhood.
A special celebration was held in February to mark just over five years of a Bolton at Home ground-breaking project, which sees local residents employed by housing association to raise issues and organise activities on behalf of their neighbours.
The Peer Navigator project was set up in 2018 and working in partnership with Bolton CVS and various other funding partners, the project has given more than 35 people the opportunity to become" trusted beacons of support in their communities".
Speaking about the five-year Peer Navigator celebration event, Mark Wilkinson, Bolton at Home’s Non-Executive Director, said: "I'm so pleased I was able to attend. There were some fantastic stories of personal growth.
"It was so encouraging to hear about this scheme, and I hope it can continue to go from strength to strength."
Since the launch, the peer navigators have played critical roles in supporting the response to Covid, have delivered arts and crafts activities, supported public health projects – like the ‘Quit and Get Fit’ stop smoking campaign and have spent time volunteering in Europe through Bolton at Home’s Foundation for the Future programme.
The navigators have also organised and supported countless family fun days, helped to improve the local environment, and two of them even got to meet King Charles III when he visited the borough.
Bolton at Home said peer navigators are like ‘community connectors’ – the ‘eyes and ears’ in the neighbourhoods Bolton at Home serves.
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Working in the role, they build invaluable two-way relationships with local residents where they’re trusted to provide invaluable support and signposting on a range of challenges faced by residents, and they give people a space to voice their thoughts, ideas, and opinions on things most important to them.
Working as part of the Community Engagement Team, the peer navigators are supported through each and every step of their journey - be it through a wealth of training opportunities, chances to develop and take ownership of their own projects and being given plenty of space to plan for next steps before their role ends.
To date, 85 per cent of the former navigators have gone straight into employment after their time with Bolton at Home and many choose to continue their roles as ‘community connectors’ to this day.
“I'd encourage anyone to come and do it - you will be nurtured, and you will find where you belong.”
To find out more about the Peer Navigators project, go to: https://www.boltonathome.org.uk/peer-navigators/
If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on X @chloewjourno.
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