Covid-19 Support Hub is there to help you

ABC Council’s Covid-19 Community Support Hub, set up seven weeks ago to help people in the borough who are in need during the pandemic, is being kept busy.
By Elinor Glynn
Published 20th May 2020, 08:30 BST
Good Relations Support Officer, Sophie, is working on the front line dealing with queries through Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council’s Covid-19 Community Support HubGood Relations Support Officer, Sophie, is working on the front line dealing with queries through Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council’s Covid-19 Community Support Hub
Good Relations Support Officer, Sophie, is working on the front line dealing with queries through Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council’s Covid-19 Community Support Hub

Support Hub advisors handle almost 1,000 queries a month, which can be up to 70 queries per day, signposting people to the most appropriate help for their needs.

Some help is already on the council’s website, such as the list of local stores offering delivery, or the directory of local community and voluntary groups. The support hub advisors also inform people how they can get their prescriptions safely, as well as helping people who are struggling to access food.

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Good Relations Support Officer, Sophie Kyle, is one of the advisors dealing with queries. She said: “In the beginning, we were working half-day shifts, but the demand was so great that half days turned into full days and now we have a team of about 40 people taking shifts, with 15 people per day handling calls from 9am-5pm, seven days a week. The job is incredibly rewarding as I know I’m really making a difference to people’s lives. I might only be signposting them to a service, maybe giving them the phone number of a shop that offers delivery, or putting them in touch with the trusted community group that can help them out with a hot meal, or maybe just telling them who can lift their prescription from their local pharmacy. All these things are really easy for me to do with a computer and a phone, but for an elderly person who can’t get out and has no access to the internet or for a parent with a child with additional needs this can relieve a major source of anxiety for them.

“I’m really proud of our community response. It’s what I do in my normal role, and I know some of the call handlers haven’t got any community background so I take my hat off to them for stepping forward to take on this role as it’s all completely new to them.”

If you’re considered vulnerable and need help you can contact the coronavirus helpline on 0808 802 0020, text ACTION to 81025.

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