Flying Doctor Community Transport is looking for more people to join as volunteers.
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Are you looking for ways to give back to your community?
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Flying Doctor Community Transport is a service available at 10 sites across Victoria, at no charge to eligible clients — including in Cobram in partnership with NCN Health.
Using engaged volunteers from the community, the Flying Doctor is helping rural Victorians with limited transport options access the health care they need. If you need help getting to your appointments, or you’re looking for a way to help your community, build connections and learn new skills, this is perfect for you.
Volunteers are the driving force of the Flying Doctor Community Transport team, and they see first-hand how important the service is to their communities.
“There is a great need in our area for folk, and not all elderly folk, to be taken to health appointments. At times, people just don’t have family or friends available to take them to their appointments,” Warracknabeal volunteer driver Alison Whelan said.
It helps clients access treatment locally without having to receive in-patient care just because they can’t drive themselves back and forth.
A client, who was able to return home each night after his cancer treatment, said he was “really rapt with the service”.
“It took a lot of pressure off. I’ve had daily oncology treatment for 12 days. You meet really nice people, really great volunteers,” he said.
It’s not just about the satisfaction. RFDS volunteers know that community means there’s help available for them, too, now or in the future.
“The satisfaction of knowing that at the end of the day, I’ve been able to help someone, that’s my main aim,” Rochester volunteer driver Greg Laurie said.
“In years to come, I’ll probably be looking for someone to help me in return! But I do get a lot of pleasure out of transporting our clients.”
But the experience is just as valuable to the volunteers as the help is to their passengers.
Elsa and Bert with one of the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s Flying Doctor Community Transport vehicles.
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Community connections and the satisfaction of knowing she’s helping are big motivators for Kay Poynton, out of the RFDS site in Lakes Entrance.
“Being a volunteer driver gives me the opportunity to be of service to those in the community who have a need,” she said.
“Meeting people in the community and engaging with them, some of whom may not have family support, is a very satisfying experience.”
Without volunteer drivers, the Flying Doctor couldn’t help the way it does, and it is proud to connect people with opportunities and with their communities.
“I just want to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to support my community by way of driving for the Flying Doctor. I seriously love this job. Yesterday I did my first really full day and I had an absolutely amazing day,” Numurkah volunteer driver Janet Stevens said.
To find out more about volunteering for the Flying Doctor Community Transport, contact 7046 4664, or email communitytransport@rfdsvic.com.au
Flying Doctor Community Transport is funded to December 2024 by a generous grant from Western Victoria Primary Health Network,MurrayPrimary Health Network, and Gippsland Primary Health Network.
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