What is COVID-19 Community Outreach?
COVID-19 Community Outreach (CCO) is a national response to the societal impact of the coronavirus outbreak, coordinated by The Wheel and Irish Rural Link, and funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
It seeks to ensure that vulnerable demographics across Ireland — such as older people, people with long-term medical conditions, and people with additional needs — have access to the highest quality information and support while helping to ease pressure on state services.
How does it work?
CCO will link and support the thousands of community groups across Ireland who are already working to support the most vulnerable people in our communities.
CCO engages a network of Community Champions across every county in Ireland. These individuals already have strong links within their local communities, existing experience of working with volunteers and community and local organisations, and are already in contact with the people that the programme seeks to reach.
Community Champions work with local community groups to:
- Disseminate accurate information quickly throughout their local area, with a particular emphasis on hard-to-reach, vulnerable audiences;
- Connect existing community and volunteer efforts, in relation to ensuring safe and effective non-medical services;
- Identify emerging gaps in community services, communicate them promptly to local organisations as relevant (statutory or community-based), and, where necessary, to the National Coordination Team; and
- Liaise with relevant regional services to ensure that people recovering at home or returning from hospital receive necessary social supports.
Find out how COVID-19 Community Outreach can help you
Impact of COVID-19 Community Outreach Programme
From 31 March 2020 – 19 June 2020
Additional Key Impact Figures
| Number of times Community Champion contacted for support (call, text, email) | 6,832 |
| Number of supports given | 30,499 |
| Number of supports given on School Meals Programme | 3,197 |
| Social and traditional media reach (inc. local newspapers, newsletters, local radio) | 2,543,838 |
CCO Community Map
Use the CCO map below to located CCO Community Champions across Ireland, as well as local non-profits participating in the initiative.