| Croydon is recruiting Covid-19 vaccine champions from the local community to help reach out to people who remain concerned about having the jab.
The new champions will be provided with training to support their family, friends and the wider community to make sense of the advice and information about the Covid-19 vaccines – first, second and booster jabs. A free, short online training course will help them learn how to have conversations to dispel myths about the vaccines, signpost people to help and services, and ensure they have the relevant information to make an informed choice about protecting themselves and those around them. People can apply on the council website to take part in training to become a Covid-19 community vaccine champion. There are also free resources on the website to support community projects or groups to increase vaccine uptake or for anyone interested in learning more about the vaccines. Employers will be reimbursed for the time their staff take to attend the course. Croydon Council received funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to take forward this local initiative in the latest phase of the Covid pandemic. The council is working with Croydon’s four voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations – Croydon Voluntary Action, BME Forum, ARCC and CNCA – to support the vaccine champions to facilitate these conversations in local settings. Rachel Flowers, Croydon’s director for public health, said: “This is a great opportunity to help people protect themselves and each other. As a Covid-19 community vaccine champion, you will play a vital role in keeping Croydon safe as we live with Covid-19. These are really important community conversations, and we hope many of our residents will get involved. We are continuing to work in partnership with our local NHS and communities to provide more opportunities for residents to take up their Covid-19 vaccinations so that they have the best defence against the virus, stay safe and protect others.” |
