Step up and be a Covid champion in your community

he City of Wolverhampton Council is calling on people in the city who are passionate about their local communities to step forward and volunteer as Community Champions.

As new information and guidance about Covid-19 and the life-saving vaccine is released, it’s more important than ever that people in Wolverhampton stay up to date and know how to protect themselves and others.

The council is now recruiting a network of volunteers to help their families, friends, colleagues and communities have access to the latest facts and information out Covid-19, and the vaccination programme.

These Community Champions will receive the latest information to share along with training to help them do so. This includes advice about how to stay safe and slow the spread of the virus, details about what extra support is available locally and facts to address misinformation and myths about vaccination.

They will be a point of contact within their community and will be expected to pass on advice and guidance and encourage others to become Community Champions too.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “With myths and misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine spreading, it is vital that our communities have access to the facts and trusted advice and information about the virus and the life-saving vaccine.

“That’s why we’re calling on people in our communities to become champions, helping us share information about, and boost the uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine, which will ultimately save lives and help us out of this pandemic.

“Community Champions will form a network of people across the city, helping residents in their communities stay up to date about Covid-19 and the vaccine. As well as updating their own networks on the latest information, Wolverhampton’s Community Champions will help to dispel myths and misinformation about the vaccine.

“It is important that we work as a community, and as a city, to dismiss these rumours and break down the barriers causing reluctance or hesitation. We must all encourage family, friends, colleagues, neighbours and their wider community to get vaccinated and help to stop the spread of the virus.”

Community Champions will also have access to Q&A sessions and will be able to discuss suggestions and issues with each other so everyone can share good ideas, understand what works and address any concerns.

Volunteers will be supported through training and weekly updates and will have access to a range of information, videos and other resources in different languages.

Anyone over the age of 18 who lives or works in Wolverhampton can volunteer to become a Community Champion. They do not need formal qualifications but must be passionate about making sure their local community receives up to date information.

For more information, and to sign up to become a Community Champion visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/communitychampions.

The latest information and guidance around coronavirus is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus and on the council’s own coronavirus pages at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/coronavirus. Information about the vaccine can be found at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidvaccine. Further details of the lockdown restrictions currently in place, and the answers to frequently asked questions, are available at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidalert.