The program will also support people to deal with any negative feelings they may have with using alternative transport options and seeks to address the older driver’s challenges, barriers and fears and in particular their desire to maintain a high level of independence and community involvement.
As for the project much as been done since early September. Some of the highlights and milestones include –
- Marketing Plan completed;
- Volunteers recruitment completed;
- 3 Working group meetings held (minuted, actions);
- Participant Brochure written, approved, printed over 120 organisations in MV such as medical centres, pharmacies, audiologists, optometrists; service clubs, retirement villages, libraries and neighbourhood community centres, bowling clubs accompanied with a customised cover letter;
- Volunteer Brochure written and printed and distributed ;
- Volunteer FAQ and boundaries documents completed;
- Project Status report developed;
- Core Transport alternatives training module completed;
- Set up TAP page on TA website;
- Strategy Group & Working group Terms Of Reference approved;
- Set up and populated database to record actions and progress with recruitment;
- Italian version of brochure written, printed and distributed;
- TAP Display held at Moonee Ponds shopping centre;
- Added a new training stream to pilot – a stationary tram and bus at Essendon depot available for participants to practise on & off boarding, where to sit, how to use Myki etc.
- Completed ‘in person chat and distribution of brochures at 15 different MVCC Seniors festival Events;
- Held first Stakeholder reference group meeting (generated good recruitment ideas);
- Commenced attending Home Care Packages (HCP) team meetings across MV,
- Greek version of flyer being written;
- Prepared new Info Session presentation;
- Working with MVCC to share Facebook posts and other social media opportunities;
- Have locked in Info presentations at Essendon Probus Club and Rivervue retirement Village early next year;
- Have locked in Info sessions at 4 venues across MV in late Jan early Feb and commenced associated social media campaign,
- TAP Posters designed & printed;
- Press releases for Leader, Valley View and Seniors Newsletter written;
- Draft Participant Intake process continues to be amended and improved.
So as you can see, we have been busy. However, recruitment of actual participants has been slow, despite our best efforts. Tapping into the right target market has been difficult, but we are slowly learning. We have recently started attending Aged care assessment team meetings via the council and a number of good leads have been generated that way. We will also be presenting at the Essendon Probus club, Rivervue Retirement Village and 4 community sessions in late Jan and early Feb and we are most confident that this will start to build the momentum we need to recruit participants. Because driving less or not at all, is a life-changing event and has a significant impact on people’s lives, independence, control and general mobility, many people put this process off and say this is a good program but ‘not for me’ just yet. We also recognise that we will need to work with potential participants with family members who may well recognise the need for their parents to begin this transition before they do. This is a pilot study and so it is not unexpected that we will hit hurdles and will need to modify and adapt our program in both in terms of recruitment and delivery of the training to suit the needs of our audience.