The Community Navigator Service operates geographically across the County Borough of Bridgend. The service is supported by Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC), Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board (RPB) and funded via Welsh Government Funding.
As a result of being based here at BAVO, Bridgend’s County Voluntary Council (CVC), we are able to provide an independent service to individuals needing help, or looking for activities to get involved in.
We hold a ‘what matters’ conversation with the individual and signpost them to a community based group or service that best meets their needs and interest.
Being based in community buildings, our Navigators are not only able to link into over 450 member organisations on our database, but they can tap into ad hoc local community provision as and when it in different community centres and buildings. They have up to date information on what is available by keeping their finger on the pulse.
As part of our ‘Resourceful and Connected Communities’ model , we are also able to collaborate with a range of agencies on specific pieces of work such as supporting food banks and distributing food and fuel vouchers. We recently also received a grant from National Grid and can distribute warm packs alongside supporting warm hubs.
Importantly, when people come to BAVO, they are not passed from pillar to post. They get the intervention they need in the right place and at the right time. Our navigators will even take them to activities a few times so they aren’t so anxious, and can be introduced to people to break the ice.
Our Navigators are trained in ‘making every contact count’ through our NHS partners, and a number of our Navigators have undertaken Wrexham Glyndwr University Social Prescribing degree level module. Each Navigator also comes with a specialism, such as green prescribing, housing, Mental health and substance misuse, physical activity and carer backgrounds for example.
The Community Navigators team forms the ‘supporting people’ element of our ‘transformation programme’ in partnership with BCBC.
The other crucial element to this programme is providing help to community groups. We offer robust volunteering, governance and development support as well as sustainable funding avenues to community organisations so that we can confidently and safely signpost to them and ensure they have all the help they need to to take on referrals.
We also provide brokerage through Social Services’ ‘Common Access Point’ and have previously managed Navigators on behalf of GP Cluster. If you would like to talk about our service and how it might expand to support your client base, please give us a ring.
The service is open from 9am – 5pm
For more information contact Gail E; communitynavigator@bavo.org.uk or call 01656 810400
