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Eircode Community Outreach Programme
As part of the launch phase of Ireland’s new postcode system, ‘Eircode’, the Eircode Community Outreach Programme was initiated as a way of reaching more vulnerable people who were likely to be neglected by the general public awareness campaign.
Project overview
In 2014, The Wheel was involved in discussions with Capita and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR) regarding the potential of an outreach programme, based on a model developed for the Digital Switchover in 2012, to reach the target group by mobilising the community and voluntary sector.
Preparatory work on the Eircodes Community Outreach Programme began in December 2014, with the key outreach work being undertaken during April to July 2015. The programme was managed and coordinated by The Wheel in conjunction with Irish Rural Link.
Results of the project
- A total of 187,939 members of the target group were reached and provided with information and reassurance regarding the introduction of Eircode.
- The programme reached an additional 167,285 people outside the target group.
4,767 organisations were mobilised to work actively on the programme, holding events and otherwise assisting in the effort to reach the target group, averaging 207 per county/area. - 10,781 volunteers were recruited by Outreach Champions to assist in the programme at local level, of whom 4,019 were ‘Key Volunteers’ driving the local implementation.
- A total of 1,364 outreach events were held involving the target group, representing an average of 59 per county/area.
- The programme generated 1,091 mentions in Parish/Community newsletters, and 207 mentions in other media, including local newspapers and radio.