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Digital TV Switchover – Volunteers Wanted


Volunteers wanted!

Support our outreach work in Kent and Medway’s villages and towns

Why do we need volunteers?
How we receive our television signal is changing. In most of Kent and Medway we receive our terrestrial television signals via one of 4 main transmitters at Dover, Tunbridge Wells, Bluebell Hill and Heathfield. The analogue signals from these transmitters will be switching over from the 1st of May 2012.

Some communities in North Kent and Medway receive their signals via the London Crystal Palace transmitter. The analogue signals from this transmitter will be switching over to digital from the 4th of April 2012.

The BBC’s “Switchover Help Scheme” has been well-publicised but there will still be many people who do not understand what Switchover is about and these are likely to be people who need help from their community.

Action with Communities in Rural Kent is supporting the local roll-out of the Switchover Help Scheme. We need to visit every parish and town in Kent and Medway to spread this message and ensure no-one gets missed.

We need local volunteers to help with our programme to ensure that no-one misses out on the help that’s available to assist with making the necessary changes.

If you choose to volunteer with us, you will use your local connections, knowledge and networks to speak to those people in a community who are likely to know those people who are most at risk of not switching.

What will volunteers actually have to do?
You will be given a number of parishes and towns to visit, depending on the time you can offer us. Whilst there, you will identify people who are likely to be in a position to recognise those in the community who will need support. You will talk to key people in each community, such as the local postmaster, shopkeeper, publican, priest, parish councillors and others who are actively involved in community life.

These people will be asked to spread the message in turn and it’s through these community connections and your support that we will identify those who may require additional help.

You will be supplied with leaflets and posters to give out and also business cards / photo identification.

As the programme manager, Action with Communities in Rural Kent has to track progress and will ask you to report on your activity on a weekly basis. This will involve recording where you have been, who you have met and any success stories/anecdotes.

What support will volunteers get from Action with Communities in Rural Kent?
In the first instance all volunteers will be trained before commencing outreach work. Training for communities in North Kent and Medway will take place on 13th December 2011. This will give you more details about the role and provide all the support you need to ‘hit the ground’ running.

Throughout the programme, there will be updates sent by email and chances for volunteers to come together and share experiences.

We will pay out of pocket expenses for attending training and conducting the outreach work. This includes travel by car, cycle or public transport.

Our Project Co-ordinator will be on-hand to give support, arrange volunteer meetings and to collect in your weekly reports.

What is the time commitment needed?
We recognise that different people will be able to offer different levels of commitment. An individual programme of outreach will therefore be agreed for you once we have established how much time you have available to give.

This will involve agreeing the villages and towns you will cover. For most volunteers, we will plan their outreach around the place where they live so we can cut down on the need for travel and can draw upon local connections and knowledge.

What are the benefits of volunteering?
We sometimes take for granted the community in which we live. This opportunity will give volunteers a real chance to get involved in community life and to help those who are most at risk of losing their TV signal.

At the same time volunteers will get to know their local area a little better and meet a diverse range of people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

What do I do next?
If you would be willing to volunteer, please contact us by Monday 5th December 2011 in order that we can record your details and invite you to the training event.

If you have any further questions or want to chat further about this opportunity, please contact Kathy Bugden on 01303 813790 or email kathy.bugden@ruralkent.org.uk.

There are a number of people working on this project, so you may have contact from my colleague Kim Fletcher, Alan Mount from Carillion and also Digital UK. We are all working together to ensure everyone is ready for the switchover next year, so there is no ‘wrong door’

Click here to find out more about the Community Volunteer’s Role Description

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