Cynllun Cyfail Cymru is a new phoneline from the vountary sector in Wales that connects digitally excluded people with befriending services during the pandemic.

We’re pleased to announce that a partnership of voluntary organisations including WCVA has been working with Orchard and S4C to create an advert in response to the COVID-19 situation.

During the lockdown period, a number of organisations from the Welsh Language Network of the Third Sector Partnership Council came together to share their concerns about certain sections of society that were being excluded from the digital communications that had begun happening.

It was clear that a cohort of older people, people who were isolating for medical reasons and people with low or no broadband coverage, were not able to use the virtual means that have become such a normal part of contact with the world.

In response to this a number of community organisations have set up befriending telephone lines that offer a direct phone call and a chat to ensure callers can speak and have a friendly conversation in Welsh.

Thanks to S4C’s recent initiative to give free advertising space to charities, the network decided to apply to the fund to be able to advertise these services directly on the small screen – one of the best ways to communicate with those who cannot use digital means.

A steering group came together to create the content of the advert’s verbal message and ensured that regional words for chat or talk were used to reflect the national nature of the services provided by a number of organisations across Wales.

The message needed to stress that even though face-to-face meetings were not possible, the organisations were still there to help and support our communities.

The service includes the Mentrau Iaith, the National Eisteddfod, Age Cymru, Merched y Wawr and Third Sector Support Wales (County Voluntary Councils).

One number will direct the caller to the WCVA team and that conversation will identify which service is best for the individual and put them in touch.

The service is available to everyone across Wales at the cost of a telephone call.

The advert will be shown on S4C during the month of August.