Social enterprise is praised for work in digital switchover community outreach programme

On Tuesday 6 July, Dianne Jeffrey, Chair of Digital Outreach Limited, joined Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries (joint Minister with Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), and David Scott, Chief Executive of Digital UK, at a special event held in London’s Southbank Centre to mark the progress made towards the UK’s switch to digital TV. 

Digital Outreach (DOL) was founded in 2007 by organisations that include UK volunteering charity, CSV.

Press release issued by DOL 8th July 2010.

Joint venture social enterprise, Digital Outreach Limited (DOL), is delivering Digital UK’s national Digital Switchover Community Outreach Programme, working with thousands of voluntary and community organisations across the UK to build people’s confidence around the switchover, giving them the information and support they need to make the switch to digital TV. Working with local voluntary and community sector partners, the programme has provided information and advice to target groups at over 3,500 community events so far, spreading the message about switchover to over 500,000 people.

At the event, Ed Vaizey praised the work of the community outreach programme, saying: “Digital Outreach is an excellent example of how a social enterprise can contribute to delivering the Big Society model, recognising and working with the grain of what people are doing on the ground, and interacting with members of the community we really want to reach.”

DOL provides voluntary and community organisations with the tools and training needed to cascade the messages about switchover through their own local networks, so that people receive information, support and advice from familiar faces that they know and trust.

Dianne Jeffrey spoke about the benefits of the outreach programme to the third sector, saying: “DOL’s outreach work brings an ongoing legacy of benefits to the voluntary and community sector. I am personally very proud that over the lifetime of the Digital Switchover Community Outreach Programme, DOL will have re-directed around 70% of the contract value back through the local third sector by commissioning local delivery from local partners – creating jobs and building capacity in the third sector and leaving a legacy of improved networking and increased awareness in the local community about how local VCS groups can help people with a broad range of requirements – not just switchover.

“All of our achievements are credit to the continued strength of our working relationship with Digital UK and the Help Scheme, and with our partners in the voluntary and community sector, without whose energy and dedication we would not be able to provide this service.”

David Scott, Chief Executive of Digital UK, said: “I am delighted that DOL was able to join us at this event today. DOL has made a huge contribution to the switchover programme, and I am delighted to be able to shine light on their work.”

By the time the outreach programme ends in 2012, we estimate we will have reached well over a million people.

More information on csv.org.uk about Digital Outreach Limited.

Notes for editors
Media Contact
Laura Ripper
lripper@digitaloutreach.org.uk
08458 645340

For media information about CSV: Melissa Goss or Jason Tanner on 020 7812 0037 / 38

What is Digital Outreach?
Digital Outreach (DOL) is a joint venture social enterprise owned by third and private sector organisations.

It was founded in 2007 by Age UK (formerly Age Concern and Help the Aged), Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and CEL Group to provide local advice and support through voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations during digital TV switchover.

DOL is now one of the UK’s leading and most extensive providers of community outreach and engagement services, and its success has recently been recognised by the Third Sector Awards in which it was shortlisted in the ‘corporate partnership’ category in late 2009.

What does Digital Outreach do?
DOL provides services across the UK on behalf of government, not-for-profit and private sector clients, working through the voluntary and community sector at a national, regional and very local level.
Through our embedded outreach model, we are able to reach the people our clients want to target and achieve behavioural change goals by working with VCS partners who people know and trust.
Our outreach programmes deliver positive impacts in the local communities in which we operate, leaving a sustainable legacy that continues to benefit the community long after the projects end.

What is embedded outreach?
The embedded outreach programme is a cascade model - disseminating messages by providing voluntary and community organisations with the tools and training needed to pass on information through their own local networks so that target audience groups receive information, support and advice from familiar faces that they know and trust.

For the Community Outreach Programme, the targeted charities and voluntary and community organisations include those who work with older people, people who are socially isolated, people with a sensory or mobility impairments, people who have experienced mental-health conditions, people with English as a second language and people who have learning difficulties.

How much does Digital Outreach put back into the third sector?
We estimate that over the lifetime of the Digital Switchover Community Outreach Programme, around 70% of the contract value will go back into the local voluntary and community sector by commissioning delivery and through grants.

What are the benefits of the Community Outreach Programme?
Our approach is highly effective at reaching target groups. Voluntary and community sector organisations are well known, trusted and reliable sources of information for millions of people around the country, and are often a first port of call.

Our approach understands VCS organisations are a first port of call.  We do not take this for granted, but build upon it, providing training and grants, enabling the sector to feel confident about proactively cascading information to their service users or community.

Our approach is focused on the person. Information is communicated accurately, sensitively and appropriately by local advocates who people know and trust.

Our approach is sustainable, achieving positive impacts and outcomes that last over time. Messaging is reinforced repeatedly through regular events and activities in the community – such as coffee mornings, parent and toddler groups and reading circles.

Where can I find out more about Digital Outreach?
For more information about Digital Outreach (DOL), please visit www.digitaloutreach.org.uk, email Laura Ripper on lripper@digitaloutreach.org.uk  or phone us on 08458 645340.

Where can I find out more about the digital switchover?
For more information about the digital switchover and Digital UK, the independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 to lead the implementation of digital switchover, visit the Digital UK website, www.digitaluk.co.uk.

For information about the Switchover Help Scheme, visit www.helpscheme.co.uk.