The drive to stay connected

A new program aims to make everyday activities more accessible for people who can't get around easily. It just takes some good-hearted volunteers who have a car and can drive. 

By JINGJING FU

It is easy to take day-to-day mobility for granted. We have a car or public transport to take us the places we need to get to. But for many people, that independence can be compromised by frailty, mobility issues, social isolation or financial difficulties.

Annette Lasky, who lives in South Caulfield, says her physical abilities are declining with age, so catching public transport is difficult.

Three years ago, a social worker suggested she contact Bentleigh Bayside Community Health. Once she was in contact with the community centre's TransAccess program, her most important transport problems were solved.

Now the centre wants to go one step further in helping to keep elderly and frail residents actively involved in the community.

Jo Costa, team leader of the Volunteer and Community Connections Team at the community centre, says a new transport service – the Driving Change Project – was started to provide door-to-door transport for older residents in Stonnington.

“The Driving Change Project is a joint initiative between BBCH TransAccess and Cabrini’s Community Benefit Program, which is about building the capacity of community transport within the Stonnington region to reach as many transport disadvantaged people as possible,” she says.

The innovative feature of the project is using volunteer drivers in their own vehicles.

Although the Driving Change Project is new, Ms Costa says TransAccess has been operating for more than 15 years, helping transport-disadvantaged residents living in Bayside, Kingston, Port Phillip, Stonnington and Glen Eira get to their medical appointments, rehabilitation, educational programs, social and leisure activities.

However, she says, “for our own TransAccess Program, the use of one vehicle is quite limited”.

Ms Costa believes there is greater flexibility in using volunteer drivers in their own vehicles.

“Thanks to funding provided by Cabrini, clients don’t have to pay for the service and volunteers are reimbursed for their petrol,” she says.

In the past three years, Ms Lasky has used the TransAccess service to attend her medical appointments.

“I love this service. I am very, very satisfied. I can’t speak (enough about) how good they are,” Ms Lasky says. "I don’t need to worry about anything.”

Ms Costa says providing the community with more transport options is important.

“If you aren’t able to catch public transport and you are frail aged and/or have mobility issue, it would be very difficult to access the community to do simple daily activities such as going to the hairdresser or to a medical appointment. The aim is to keep people well connected to their community,” she says.

“It is kind of like a domino effect – keep people well connected to their community and in turn contribute to a person’s overall wellbeing.”

Ms Costa says volunteer drivers are pivotal to the success of the program.

In 2000, Colin Tuck-Lee saw a recruitment ad for volunteer drivers in the local newspaper, and has been volunteering ever since.

“A lot of people retire and don’t know what to do.  I thought this is something interesting and something helpful and something I can do,” Mr Tuck-Lee says.

He says his long-term volunteer experiences have made him a better person.

“In the beginning I was a quiet personality. Volunteering has helped me to grow more confident because I get to talk to people. Nowadays I can talk to anybody,” he says.

Ms Costa hopes their new transport initiative will become as popular as the TransAccess Program, but they need more drivers.

Eligibility is strictly controlled. “We are choosing and screening volunteers carefully because they will use their own cars to transport clients. We need to ensure the safety of both volunteers and clients,” she says.

The volunteer drivers for the new project must have a minimum of seven years of driving experience. They also need to have comprehensive car insurance, an appropriate car, pass police and reference checks, complete a driver assessment and provide a medical "fitness to drive" clearance from their GP.

“All costs are covered by the program,” Ms Costa says.

To become a volunteer or use the service contact TransAccess on 9575 5365 or email d.buchan@bbch.org.au