Volunteer database to be set up to help the vulnerable

A COHESIVE action plan designed to better coordinate a county-wide approach to helping people in self-isolation because of COVID-19 is to be implemented by various community groups in the coming days.

The ‘volunteer database’ will serve as a focal point by which people linked to community centres, active retirement groups, men’s shed, employers’ groups, community alert groups, family resource centres, and social farming projects can access a central database to find out who needs help and how they can provide it.

The plan is being rolled out in conjunction with Kerry County Council and will improve community responsiveness by informing people within the voluntary sectors how they can help. It will serve as a reliable point of contact for information in the weeks and months to come.

Volunteers may be asked to man call centres so they can distribute a person’s request for assistance in a safe and responsible way. This may include the delivery of groceries and other essential items. The aim of the project is to ensure people are linking in with proper and reliable information sources when looking for assistance.

“People are getting a lot of misinformation out there, particularly older people and people living on their own. We need to get the message out that the county isn’t closed down,” said David Fitzgibbon, Community Worker with North East West Kerry Development (NEWKD).

The volunteer database will also give people who wish to volunteer an opportunity to do so in a more streamlined way.

“Volunteers will man the phone lines and collate the information and needs of vulnerable people. This information is then passed on to other volunteers who carry it out. We would naturally prefer local people dealing with their own areas as older people would prefer to be familiar with the person calling to them. We don’t want to frighten people,” he added.

Mr Fitzgibbon explained that, as there are many people who now wish to do something positive for their communities, it should be done in a more co-ordinated fashion.

“At the end of the day, we can look back and say we held a good standard of service for people. There’s already a lot of good neighbourliness going on at the moment, but this is about targeting those who are very isolated and may be fearful at this time.”