Covid-19 in Wirral
We Asked
The Community Champions programme was launched on 1 September 2020 by Wirral Council to support the need for clear, accurate information, shared by trusted voices, during the pandemic. Since that time more than 600 people have signed up to help keep their communities safe.
The local authority wanted to gain residents views over a series of questions relating to COVID-19 to help them evaluate their response to the pandemic. The survey evaluated the community champions programme and the role they have played distributing key messages to communities throughout the pandemic.
You Said
- There have been some shifts in attitudes toward covid and covid safe behaviours. People felt less at risk as the research progressed.
- There were many social and economic changes that could have contributed to people’s changing attitudes.
- Members of the public might take a defensive stance against government recommendations after being confused about changing rules during the pandemic.
- Misinformation during the pandemic has likely led to a lack of trust.
- Risk perception and covid safe behaviours change in different demographics.
- Information over-load might have made the public disengage from messaging about covid-19.
- Community champions played a valuable role during covid, but now their role is likely to change
- Community champions wanted to remain community champions, but with a focus on different behaviours. Some suggestions were mental and physical health, asylum seeker support, and support for families in poverty
For more information about the consultation and to view the consultation report click here.
We Did
The community champions programme is to be relaunched in early 2023 based on the recommendations within the report. Champions will be categorised based on their interests and a training and communications programme developed for each thematic area. The first area of interest to be developed is Cost of Living.
