Volunteering Special Edition

There is simply no way that Travellers Aid Australia could do the work that we do without the assistance of volunteers.

We have a volunteer community of 125 people. In collaboration with our staff, this community delivers services to thousands of people facing mobility challenges across Melbourne’s CBD and Seymour in regional Victoria. Travellers Aid is proud to announce that due to the success and incredible uptake of our Buggy Transfer Service at the MCG in partnership with the MCC, the program is now a permanent fixture for other events held at the MCG. This includes the cricket, AFL and concerts.

For last year’s pilot project that started as an eight-week trial and was extended for the duration of the 2018 AFL season, and then again for the cricket season, Travellers Aid started with 12 volunteers. We now need another 100 volunteers to build our community and meet the needs of Victorians with mobility challenges to remain engaged in their community and connect people to people and people to place.

“One of my mates was diagnosed with MND about 8 months ago, he wanted to keep going to the footy with his friends. He couldn’t walk, so we were hiring a rickshaw to get there and back each time, but it was really expensive, then we saw the Buggy at the MCG. After using the service, I decided to volunteer.

I think it’s a great thing to be able to give back and do something that has a personal connection.”

– Alistair, Travellers Aid Volunteer.

Welcome from our CEO

Welcome to the Volunteering Special Edition newsletter

Travellers Aid has a long history of volunteerism. From our very first beginnings back in 1916 when a group of women came together from the YWCA to form the first volunteer committee, through to today where our volunteer community of over 125 dedicated individuals from all walks of life assist Travellers Aid staff to deliver over 225,000 episodes of assistance each year.

Over the past 5 years, Travellers Aid has had a focus on increasing our capacity to meet the growing need in our community. With the assistance of our volunteers we have been able to increase our service delivery significantly. We know that the need is growing year on year. It is expected that Australia’s population of people aged over 65 years will double by 2057. We need to prepare our team of staff and volunteers now to help prevent social isolation, and empower people with travel related challenges to connect, engage and participate well into the future.

I encourage you to read through our volunteering opportunities highlighted in this newsletter. At Travellers Aid we welcome all people to join our volunteer community and we treat our volunteers with the same kindness, dignity and respect that we do our clients and our staff.

Elias Lebbos
Chief Executive Officer

Meet Travellers Aid volunteer Alistair

I’ve been living in Melbourne for five years. One of my mates was diagnosed with MND about 8 months ago, he wanted to keep going to the footy with his friends. He couldn’t walk, so we were hiring a rickshaw to get there and back each time, but it was expensive, then we saw the Buggy at the MCG and started using that.

I work for a media agency as the Finance Manager and we are offered a “Human Experience Day” where we have a day to give back to the community, so I decided to volunteer with the Travellers Aid Buggy Transfer Service at the MCG.

I started at the Boxing Day test where I volunteered for 5 days at the cricket. I love the footy as well, so will do a day every couple of weeks. I think it’s a great thing to be able to give back and do something that has a personal connection to my mate Dave.

With my experience through Dave, you start to think about what venues you can get to and you start to realise what the scenario is for many people who need help.

Personally, it’s really nice to go out and talk to people and meet other volunteers as well. I have recommended the program to others. One of our (business) suppliers has an employee volunteering program too, so I have recommended the buggy service to them.

The production and distribution of this newsletter has been kindly supported by V/Line