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About Us |
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As of January 2008, the project has been running for 22 years and it appears that apart from the size of the agency, very little has changed in the aims and objectives of the agency. The target groups remain the frail aged, younger people with disabilities and the transport disadvantaged. The Management Committee is still comprised of local residents, consumers and service providers and the agency remains based in Waverley municipality.
RWCT runs a range of individual and group transport services (see brochure) one of which extends over the five LGAs of the eastern suburbs. RWCT owns and operates 7 vehicles which provide 25,000 trips per year and the agency employs 15 staff and two volunteers
Current funding: · HACC $614,390 · Waverley Council $16,809 · Randwick Council $5,241
Strategic Targeting Over the years the organisation has built up an in depth knowledge of the communities it serves, as well as having a supportive relationship with local residents, clients, referral agencies and other community organisations. Clients referred to RWCT services are assessed on;
a) Level of need b) Reflection of area demographics
Level of Need The eastern area has substantial pockets of poverty and disadvantage especially Waterloo, Parts of Redfern, Woolloomooloo, Botany, Banksmeadow, Eastlakes, Malabar and Little Bay, Matraville, South Coogee.
The lack of accessible community facilities together with the increased isolation of the frail aged and younger disabled in these areas has resulted in the high demand for and reliance on HACC services to assist them in maintaining independence.
Many clients presently using RWCT services are significantly financially disadvantaged their only income being the aged/disability pension.
In N.S.W 56% of people living with HIV/AIDS live in Eastern Sydney. RWCT has contact with Community Support Network(ACON) to provide all their health related transport in the Randwick and Waverley municipalities and other Eastern Sydney LGA’s within the Out of Area Transport Service
Waterloo has the highest concentration of public housing in Urban Australia. 82% of the population are public housing tenants with an above average concentration of elderly residents. The majority of these live alone, with no family or friends to offer support. Bondi Junction is the most densely populated suburb in New South Wales considering its land size.
There are large numbers of clients living in the Eastern Sydney area that belong to a HACC identified Special Needs Group. These groups include;
· People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) · Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders · Alzheimer’s & Dementia · Financially disadvantaged · Frail aged · People with disabilities
Public transport systems are designed primarily to meet the transport needs of work force commuters and do not provide for the needs of the HACC target group. Residents in suburbs such as South Coogee, Vaucluse, Banksmeadow and Malabar are the most disadvantaged because of their relatively geographic isolation to centralised infrastructures. For many people in these areas the time taken and the difficulties to access public transport makes access to community activities too difficult. |