Peer Navigators

Why do you have Peer Navigators, and how can I be involved?

We employ local tenants and residents as Peer Navigators who act as community connectors and champions for their neighbourhoods.

In partnership with Bolton Community and Voluntary Services (or Bolton CVS, which you can learn more about here www.boltoncvs.org.uk, link opens in a new tab), we’ve recruited over 40 Peer Navigators since the programme started in 2018.

Our Peer Navigators focus on themes that are important to their community, such as cohesion and environmental improvements.

They work to connect more individuals to the community sector offer, supporting and enabling individuals to access appropriate services, and promoting self-care and behaviour change. Their roles also involve listening to neighbours and local residents to understand local issues, in addition to supporting local community activities.

You can hear from some of our current and former Peer Navigators below.

Interested in becoming a Peer Navigator for your area?

If you’re interested in making a positive impact in your community, think about applying to become a Peer Navigator. It’s an ideal role for those who want to contribute and create change.

When they're available we'll post our Peer Navigator vacancies on this page (below), and on our main www.boltonathome.org.uk/jobs page.

If there are no vacancies currently listed below, you can register your interest in future vacancies by emailing our Community Engagement Team. Just use ceteam@boltonathome.org.uk, leaving:

your full name,
preferred email address/telephone number,
and your postcode if you're a Bolton at Home tenant.

Meet our Boroughwide Environmental Peer Navigator: Karl Houlder

Karl Houlder is our Boroughwide Environmental Peer Navigator:

Karl will finish his role as a Peer Navigator in: February 2027

"I'm enjoying meeting new people and working within the community. As part of my role I am working on various sites across Bolton, helping with a variety of projects.

"Over the next 12 to 18 months, I'm looking forward to learning new skills, sharing my existing skills and challenging myself with new projects."

Likes: Family time, snooker, and cycling.

Dislikes: Beetroot, buses, and tea.

Tap to meet our Peer Navigator for Little Lever: Jayne Harrison

Jayne Harrison is our Peer Navigator for Little Lever:

Jayne will finish her role as a Peer Navigator in: June 2026

"I've always enjoyed working in the community and helping people. I have experience of working with young children for many years, however, I was sadly made redundant.

"I was ready for a new challenge, yet wanted to stay working in the community, so this job is perfect.

"I'm getting so much satisfaction from making a difference to the people I meet every day. Part of my job is to let the over 50s in Little Lever know about community groups they can join, which encourages them to socialise and in turn helps them to feel less isolated."

Likes: Reading fictional books, helping people, bottomless brunches, caravaning holidays, and spending time with my family.

Dislikes: Spiders, bad manners, eating fish, and being stuck in a traffic jam.

Our former Peer Navigators share their experiences and where they are now (published in March 2024)

Debbie talks about her time as a Peer Navigator:

“It really gave me the confidence to be Debbie again. I was happy to get up to go to work.”

Debbie Mercer, who worked as our Peer Navigator for Halliwell, talks about where she was before she applied for the job, her critical role in supporting the community during the pandemic, how she used (and continues to use) her digital expertise to keep people connected, where she works now, and more.

Dawn's Peer Navigator story:

Dawn Exley’s story stands as just one of many reasons our Peer Navigator project is worth celebrating - and you’ll hear it in this short film.

Dawn talks about where she was before she applied to become a Peer Navigator, some of the amazing things she did for the Breightmet community, the impact it’s had on her personally, where she works now, and more.

Carol talks about her time as a Peer Navigator:

Listen to Carol’s interview to hear how being a Peer Navigator brought her out of her comfort zone, enabled her to bring her passion for arts and crafts to the community, helped her build new friendships, and more.

Shelley's Peer Navigator story:

Have you heard Shelley’s story?

Despite having to overcome a number of hurdles, Shelley’s journey from being our Johnson Fold Peer Navigator, to completing a university degree, then stepping into a full-time managerial role is nothing short of inspirational.

Rachel talks about her time as a Peer Navigator:

In this short video, Rachel talks about why she wanted to become a Peer Navigator, some of her personal highlights (including meeting King Charles), the impact it’s had on her personal development, what she’s doing now, and more.

Milly talks about her time as a Peer Navigator:

In this short film, Milly Stanworth, who worked as our Peer Navigator for Johnson Fold, talks about her perseverance, personal development, projects she’s worked on, why you should apply to become a Peer Navigator, and what she’s doing now.

Alun talks about his time as a Peer Navigator:

In this short interview, Alun Morris (who worked as our Peer Navigator for Breightmet) talks us through his unique journey as a Peer Navigator – including the impact he thinks the role had on himself and his community.

At the end, you’ll also find out what Alun’s doing now.

Tap here to view "A day in the life of a Peer Navigator by Stevie" (published in June 2020)

Originally published in June 2020, here's a short 'day in the life' piece from Stevie, our former Peer Navigator for Farnworth:

"My role mainly revolves around the pantry and working on the database side. Working in a community where you're well known can be hard work, but it's very rewarding.

"Seeing people and the day to day struggles they face hits home, but it's amazing when you know you can help them. I've found that helping others also helps me (without even knowing I needed it).

"Starting the job was very nerve racking as I hadn’t worked in years due to starting a family. But the other Peer Navigators supported me through it and we all helped each other along the way. We're a Peer Navigator family..!

"The job itself is absolutely amazing and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to be a part of the Bolton at Home team!

"Here are some of my top tips for Peer Navigators:

Be flexible.
Always check your diary.
Attend all training opportunities.
Love your community.
Keep in touch with the other Peer Navigators.
Never be afraid to push for your goals.
And enjoy every last minute, as it goes by in a flash!"

Tap here to view the "Award praise for ‘inspiring’ Bolton Peer Navigators scheme" article (published in December 2018)

Originally published in December 2018, here's a look back at when our Peer Navigators project won the 'Trojan Mice Award':

A new community wellbeing project launched in Bolton has been praised after winning a top health award.

The ‘Peer Navigators’ project has seen us employ Bolton at Home tenants to work in their community, helping neighbours access support to make positive changes and live healthier lives.

The scheme has been piloted in Johnson Fold and saw four local women, all Bolton at Home tenants, gain employment in March 2018.

So far, they’ve helped 104 local families access support from community projects and public services, as well create new groups to encourage healthy eating and better mental health.

Peer Navigators has now won a ‘Trojan Mice Award’ at the 2018 Excellence in Health Creation Awards, being described as “inspiring” and “amazing” by the judges.

Shauna Morton, Head of Community Engagement for Bolton at Home said: “Peer Navigators is all about valuing what local people can offer. Our customers are the ones who know their community best and how to encourage and support the people they live alongside.

“Their role is to listen to neighbours to understand local issues. They can then support individuals to access appropriate services, promoting self-care and behaviour change in people and the community.

“We’re looking to expand the Peer Navigators in other communities within Bolton and believe it has the potential to lead to better long-term health and wellbeing, as well as creating employment for the navigators themselves.”

Managed by Bolton at Home staff, in partnership with Bolton Council, the Placed Based Integration (PBI) Team and Bolton Community and Voluntary Services, the Peer Navigators have focused on four themes – families and food, employment, environment and women’s wellbeing.

So far, they have helped organise drugs awareness talks for parents and children and developed a crèche facility alongside women’s wellbeing groups to allow more women to attend them.

A healthy lifestyles group, promoting healthy eating and positive mental health, has also been set up in direct response to requests from people who wanted to lose weight and boost their confidence. There have also been cookery demonstrations using fruit and vegetables from local food growing sites.

The ‘Trojan Mice Awards’ are so-called because they recognise small changes in practice that have had a large positive change on people or communities. The awards are organised by the NHS Alliance.