A groundbreaking initiative bringing together three of the UK’s leading charities to support viewers through the switch to digital television was announced today.
Digital UK, the independent organisation co-ordinating digital television switchover, will fund the £2.9m scheme to help ensure viewers are prepared when analogue television services are switched off region by region from 2008-2012. The new organisation, Digital Outreach, brings together Age Concern England, Help the Aged, Community Service Volunteers and Collective Enterprises Limited, a company specialising in working with the charity sector. It will commission a range of support services from local and regional voluntary sector organisations and charities, initially in the first four switchover regions: Border, West Country, Wales and Granada. During the six months leading up to each switchover these activities will include the training of volunteers;
dissemination of information to potentially vulnerable people; public meetings and events, home visits and a network of help centres at the time of switchover.
The programme will offer help to those not eligible for the Digital Switchover Help Scheme2, established to provide equipment and assistance to those aged 75 and over, and disabled viewers. It will focus on groups including older people, those with sensory, mobility or dexterity impairments, people with learning difficulties and those that are socially isolated. Activities are scheduled to start in the Selkirk transmitter area of the Border TV region in May this year.
David Scott, Chief Executive of Digital UK, said: ‘While the switch to digital TV will be easy for most people, the outreach programme is designed to complement the existing help scheme to deliver the support and reassurance required by potentially vulnerable viewers. ‘I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring together some of the country’s leading charities to develop this genuinely innovative approach which will help to ensure everyone enjoys the benefits of digital television.’
Ian Agnew, Chief Executive of Digital Outreach, said: ‘This is an exciting opportunity for us, both in terms of being able to support older and vulnerable people through the switchover, but also in demonstrating how four large and diverse organisations can work together in such an innovative way.'