Transport for NSW has provided the bus to YEDAHS to support better transport on the Central Coast
The NSW government has donated a bus to an Indigenous community organisation on the Central Coast to help improve accessibility to transport and services.
Transport for NSW Regional Director North Anna Zycki says Transport for NSW was handing over the keys of a 16-seater bus to Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services [YEDAHS] to support better transport and social/community outcomes for Aboriginal people on the Central Coast.
“YEDAHS is a not-for-profit Aboriginal community-controlled organisation and the only Aboriginal medical service on Darkinjung Country,” Zycki says.
“YEDAHS provides a vital service to the community providing a range of medical, health and support services to more than 4000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people each year.
“This donation will help improve accessibility for the local Indigenous community to important wellbeing and healthcare services through a second life bus donation.”
YEDAHS Chief Executive Belinda Field says the organisation provided a range of culturally responsive support services for the local Aboriginal community including primary health care, dental, out of home care, family preservation, homelessness, mental health, NDIS and some legal guidance.
“The donated bus will be used to provide transport to major and small events for cultural connections, reach our most northern and southern communities to take services to them and to help our most vulnerable youth who are not able to access transport to and from support services across the Central Coast,” Field says.
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“It will ensure that our most vulnerable members of community are provided with access, equity delivered by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people which will bring our purpose to life, which is empowering the Aboriginal community on Darkinjung Country and maintaining our vision of inspiring strong, healthy, long lives.”
The bus donation was made possible through a Transport for NSW partnership with not-for-profit Aboriginal organisation Barang Regional Alliance which supports the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the Central Coast.
Through the partnership, Barang connects Aboriginal-owned services on the Central Coast with Transport for NSW to provide grants or donations to support better transport outcomes for Aboriginal people living and working on Darkinjung land.
Barang Regional Alliance Executive Director Vickie Parry says the second life bus donation would assist YEDAHS to expand their offerings to the local Aboriginal community on the Central Coast.
“YEDAHS currently services over a third of our population through the Aboriginal Medical Centre and associated programs,” Parry says.
“Transport has remained a barrier for both the organisation and the community so this will assist in broadening the reach. The impact of this donation will be immense. Transport on the Central Coast can be difficult, especially for our most vulnerable.
“Through this donation we will see a marked increase of availability of health promotion, transport and other uses to pockets of community who need it most. The organisation is grateful to Transport for NSW and their continued commitment to increasing the overall health and wellbeing of our local Aboriginal community.”
Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services will begin using the bus to support their clients this year.