Community Navigation Service

Descriptions

Community navigation, also known as social prescribing, is an approach that uses 'link workers' or 'community navigators' to connect people to the wider community and its offer of activities, groups and services, to best meet their practical, social and emotional needs. Tameside Live Well Community Navigation Service is a new community-sited and community-delivered service to support the health and wellbeing of residents. Its delivery, recruitment, staff training, and allocation and investment of community funds would ideally be managed by an organisation working in and with a good knowledge of the community.

To deliver the aims, vision and objectives set out in the phased 5-year model the council require the provider to have a robust approach to delivery of the service while also being able to fulfil the role of a system leader. This will involve working in close partnership with a range of local stakeholders to lead the work to improve outcomes in Tameside and work towards a more integrated, preventative, neighbourhood-based approach.

Due to the nature of the service and the timescales for mobilisation, the preferred provider will ideally have proven experience of:

• Good working knowledge of Tameside including the population, community assets, underserved groups, partner organisations, local services.

• Good working knowledge of the third sector in Tameside, including challenges

• Previous experience in managing community navigation or similar social prescribing services involving client casework, and the associated systems and pathways

Tender will launch on the 27/01/2026 via www.the-chest.org.uk