Travellers Aid Australia Update - September 2011

Travellers Aid Australia Update - September 2011

Transport is "failing" people with a disability. Why does it matter to you?

Do you recall the articles in last week's The Age and the Herald Sun that revealed how inaccessible public transport can be for people with a disability? These articles were based on a valuable report by the Victorian Council for Social Service (VCOSS).

It is very easy for you and I to quickly agree that these findings are a “bad state of affairs”, then go about our business. After all, poor people with a disability. Somebody ought to help them.

But there lies the problem. While it is completely normal, there is a real risk that readers like you and I will establish false distances between ourselves and a “disadvantaged other”. And there is no “us and them” when it comes to accessible transport. There’s only “we”.

Of course, providing public transport access for people without disability is a must. But if you are someone who is finding it slightly more difficult to see as you get older, a father pushing his child around in a stroller, a taxpayer who’s hard-earned cash goes towards support services seeking to empower people who are differently abled, someone who works in the tourism industry, or even someone with an elderly mum or dad, then accessible public transport is a must for you as well.

On top of people's undeniable human right to work, rest and play as they desire, here are some additional, simple reasons why:

• Your mum and dad might choose to stay home, rather than visit their grandkids or do their weekly shop when they no longer have access to a car
• The booming disability and ageing population "tourist dollar" won't be spent on your business or event - and boy do they have money to burn. Studies show that baby-boomers will spend their retirement money on themselves and the disability market has approximately $8 billion in tourist dollars
• People with the full capacity to work and contribute socially and economicallyto our community are prevented from doing so by an inability to get to work. This means our tax-payer dollars are more likely to be spent on welfare than on empowering fully-capable members of our society.

When people with a disability or older people like your mum or dad are prevented from reaching a train station platform, knowing where to get off, or being unable to use fully accessible public toilets, the consequence of their transport limitations affect all of us.

So what can you do?

Why not tell five people who could benefit from them about our services?  Our Buggy & Personal Guidance Service for example, can help people navigate Southern Cross Station and get from one train platform to another. Alternatively, you could volunteer with us to help travellers in need. 

If you have a cent to spare, please also support our work by visting www.travellersaid.org.au/donate. After all, our core focus really is on transport equality. For everyone, including you and your family. 

Do you or someone you know need a medical companion?

Did you know that our highly-trained “wonderfully kind and thoughtful” Medical Companion Project volunteers have already accompanied over 170 clients to and from their health appointments in Melbourne CBD? If you or someone you know is from outer metropolitan, regional or rural Victoria and travelling to Melbourne for health reasons, think about using this service.

Our medical companions meet travellers at Southern Cross Station or Flinders Street Station and accompany them to and from their health appointment in central Melbourne using public transport. The service empowers people who are independent but may feel anxious about using transport services alone.

Anybody travelling to Melbourne for medical reasons is able to use the service, with clients coming from as nearby as Werribee to as far away as NSW.

"We encourage you, your family and friends to use this free service,” says CEO Jodie Willmer. “Our volunteers take away the worry you may experience in navigating unfamiliar locations by guiding you through cost-effective, environmentally-friendly public transport”.

To use this free service call 1300 700 399. Bookings essential. At least 24 hours notice is required.  

Visit our Medical Companion Project web-page for more information.

Please consider including Travellers Aid Australia in your Will

We know that your Will is a very personal thing and an important way to provide for your family and other loved ones. For many people it is also a way to continue furthering their beliefs and values even after they have gone.

As you know, Travellers Aid Australia is a charity and we rely on the generous support of individuals like you to achieve our goals.

So if you would like to help kids who can't afford travel passes get to school please consider including Travellers Aid Australia in your Will. Or if you want to continue seeing frail and ill people get to their doctor's appointment or see Travellers Aid Australia continue to provide a safe, caring, supportive place for people with disabilities to get personal care, then please add a clause to your Will to include a gift to the work of Travellers Aid Australia.

It's simple. Just a few words, indicating that you would like your chosen percentage to go to Travellers Aid Australia, will mean that your values will live on in this caring work.

For more information, visit www.travellersaid.org.au/donate/leave-gift or contact Jodie Willmer CEO on (03) 9654 2600 or via fundraising@travellersaid.org.au.

Thank you for your help.

Freedom to choose

Don’t be daunted by the somewhat cheeky title of Gen Y blogger Carl's latest story at Working at Perfect. His latest anecdote gives you insight to what our free personal care service and fully accessible toilets for people with a disability or seniors is all about. Our Travellers Aid Access Service (TAAS) is about allowing people to live their lives and make choices.

“I found out that Travellers Aid Australia provided free  personal care due to some research I did when contemplating starting paid employment through an internship program at my university. Unfortunately, I can't work wherever I want: location, space and funding are all major considerations of mine. In polite terms, I need personal care assistance and facilities at my potential workplace. In not so polite terms, I need a place to do a wee and someone to give me a hand.

And how many workplaces have completely accessible facilities including an electric hoist? And I'm not just talking about your standard accessible toilet, I'm talking about the full works. The answer is none, at least none that I could find. And yes, maybe I could rant and rave, complaining about discrimination and the like. But it was only for work experience, and if I make too much of a fuss then they might not hire me! Even if they do, they might just make me the guy who does the coffee runs.

I had an epiphany: enter Travellers Aid Australia! I worked out that I could conceivably work anywhere centrally in the city of Melbourne and make a trip to Travellers Aid Australia whenever I needed to do the proverbial business.

In short, I went for the job and I got it! Hooray!”

To keep reading, visit Carl’s blog. You can also donate to support the types of work we do at www.travellersaid.org.au/donate.

You and me all the way

Just like the way you've supported us, we're passionate about supporting other organisations and their work.  Partnerships and collaboration is the name of our game.

In the past month, we've worked with the Australian Council for Social Services (ACOSS) on best practice case-studies for services in the disability sector.  We also caught up with Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Community Services, Andrea Coote MP to support Every Australian Count's campaign for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

We even collaborated with Melbourne Day to promote the founding of Melbourne. It isn't by chance that we are the world's most liveable city. Both your organisation and ours have played a part in making this happen and it is well worth celebrating. 

If you would like to explore how your organisation and Travellers Aid Australia can partner together, contact us on (03) 9654 2600 or email marketing@travellersaid.org.au.

Vale Todd Blake

We have been saddened to hear the news of Todd Blake’s recent and untimely passing. Todd was CEO of the Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC), and we pass on our sincere condolences to his family and colleagues at VTIC. 

Todd’s passion, forward thinking and positive energy marked his 16 months with VTIC. For us at Travellers Aid Australia, Todd’s contribution in encouraging the tourism industry to create memorable visitor experiences for their customers in all their shapes and forms will not be forgotten. We laud his foresight, leadership and approachable nature.

While his passing is untimely, we know that Todd’s warm nature and upbeat approach to tourism has set a fantastic tone for the future of the VTIC and his legacy will continue.

See you all at our 95th AGM!

Our 95th Annual General Meeting will take place from 1.30pm – 3.30pm on Thursday 27 October 2011 at the Melbourne Town Hall. We look forward to seeing you there.

It will be facilitated by disability advocate John McKenna and will feature interviews with volunteers and participants of our pilot Medical Companion Project.

Lock this date in your diary and stay tuned for the invitation which will be placed up on our Events page soon! 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or both!

Hop on the social media train and don’t forget to like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. You will keep abreast of news from the public transport and not-for-profit sector relating to transport and disadvantage.

To join our Facebook page, visit www.facebook.com/travellersaidaustralia then click LIKE!

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