About Us
About St George Community
St George Community is the provider of community transport and NDIS services in the St George area. We are here for older people, people with disability, other vulnerable members of the community and carers. We support you to live independently by understanding your needs and assisting you at home and to get out and about in the community.
Our community transport provides a door-to-door service and caters to people of all abilities. Our services are funded by the Commonwealth and State Governments. Our fleet of 27 vehicles are equipped with wheelchair hoists and Include, sedans, SUVs, minibuses and larger buses to meet the needs of all our clients. We deliver over 75,000 trips per year to 2,500 active clients who travel to:
- Medical and personal appointments in the St George area and in the City.
- Local shopping centres
- Local Clubs for Bingo
- Activities to improve our clients physical and mental health and wellbeing.
We are here to support our clients to live a good quality of life. Maintaining social connections becomes increasingly crucial as we age, retire from the workforce, and witness our families’ growth and independence. Our social outings program gives our clients the opportunity to enjoy some of the wonderful sights and places of interest throughout Sydney and NSW.
We are an NDIS registered provider and deliver transport services, supports in the home and assistance to access the community for work or social and recreational activities. Our team of over 30 NDIS Support Workers are here to provide professional, caring, one on one support to people with NDIS plans.
Our team of 130 people includes our dedicated Governance Committee, 70 staff members and over 50 volunteers.
Brief History
St George Community celebrates 40 years of delivering services to our local community.
In 1983 the St George Community Project was formed as a subcommittee of Kogarah Community Aid and Information Service (now Kogarah Community Services-KCS). Yvonne Drury, a Coordinator of KCS and Susan Gainsford, the founder and President of the Project for 20 years, started the service knowing that there was an unmet need for transport in the community for so many people.
The service was established with George Pund as the Coordinator who occupied a desk in the Community Services Department of Hurstville Council. John Hyde, from the Department of Transport enthusiastically supported a Minibus service and secured a grant to buy their first bus. The bus was purchased on behalf of the Project, by Hurstville Council. The Project controlled the bus, but Hurstville Council covered all the expenses of the vehicle. The bus was aptly named George and was the first of many buses purchased by the Council, the latest being a wheelchair enabled bus called The Saint.
Several years later the Project started to deliver individual transport services with volunteers using their own cars. Hurstville Rotary Club financed the Project’s first car, and the Department of Transport funded the first paid driver. The Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care commenced funding the South-East Sydney Community and both St George and the Sutherland Shire were funded to deliver community transport. In 2003, the Project’s team were located at Treacy Street, their fourth office location and yet they continued to look for other premises to meet the needs of their growing team. It was challenging to find a common location with the fleet; however, they were grateful to Energy Australia for the use of the secure parking spaces in Lorraine Street.
When George Pund left, Pat Dawes was promoted from Minibus Coordinator to Project Manager. The dedication and hard work of the staff and volunteers made a success of the Project. The Constitution required that the management committee include representation from all three Councils, Hurstville, Rockdale City and Kogarah Council. Councillor Merv Lynch and Councillor Geoff Hedge provided great support to the Project in the early years.
St George Hospital provided a car for use each weekday, just another example of community and government organisations working together. The Project was supported by all three councils, local churches, RSL clubs and other community services. This was a great period of collaboration.
In the following years the Project underwent enormous growth as the need for transport in an ageing community became more apparent.
The manager at the time, Pat Dawes, was committed to providing a safe and efficient service to the community and steered the Project to become one of the largest Community Transport organisations in NSW.
Vision
Facilitate a good quality of life, strong connections and independence for our clients.
Mission
At St George Community Transport, we strive towards our vision by making the five points below our mission:
Enhance the independence of people in our community
By providing trusted and reliable services across multiple aspects of daily life, our team is dedicated to enabling clients in maintaining their independence both within their personal lives and within the community.
Facilitate people’s ability to remain living in their own homes with dignity and choice
The information and services we provide are tailored to each individual client and drive targeted assistance that helps ensure a good quality of life. We also provide resources for clients, friends, family, and the community which are designed to support our initiatives.
Provide support for vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals
Independence and quality of life are underpinned by being able to access support services that meet each individual’s needs. We strive each day to ensure that their needs are met and assist whenever possible.
Foster autonomy and connections
By providing opportunities, information, and a suite of services, we aim to reduce isolation, and help people in our community to exercise their choice and control.
Offer quality, caring service
Care, compassion and experience are required to be a provider of choice within the community services sector, and our team embodies these traits.
Values
Safety
We commit to prioritising the safety of our clients when travelling or while they are receiving services at home and in the community. All staff undergo appropriate training, and we are constantly assessing our procedures to see where there are opportunities for improvements.
Respect
We foster a collaborative environment that respects and encourages the contributions of staff, volunteers, and clients. All contributions are valued equally, and we work hard to achieve the best outcome for all involved.
Integrity
We are governed by our Board, which leads our compliance with the legislation and standards under which we operate. The risks faced by our business and our financial stability are overseen by our Board.
Teamwork
We know that we can achieve more when we work together. We embrace diversity, encourage open communication, and share decision-making.
Excellence
We strive to continuously improve our service offering and provide our community with the resources they need to make positive choices in their lives.
We encourage excellence in our team members and reward those who display the ability to go above and beyond.
Governance
Our organisation is governed by a group of volunteer Board members who are responsible to ensure the organisation remains financially viable and that the risks are managed to deliver safe and reliable services to our clients.
Our Board and the Finance Audit and Risk Sub-Committee meet bi-monthly.
Meet Our Board Members
Elizabeth Weston
I believe that our clients can feel secure in the contribution of Board members because of the trust, goodwill and stability we have collectively generated. I’d like to think that the governance, legal lens and experience I bring to bear, enhances that contribution. As a local, I’m proud to volunteer my time to be part of SGC as this organisation has such a worthwhile purpose in connecting members of our community.
Christopher Tyler
SGC’s governance body provides a sound framework for the organisation to establish and achieve its strategic objectives and the continued delivery of our services for our clients. A strong and effective management team and governance framework is essential for continuation of the confidence that our stakeholders have in SGC and supporting the continuation of NSW Government funding.
Stephen Downes
I joined the Board eight years ago. I have enjoyed contributing to the finance & risk management and fleet management of the organisation through Board subcommittees. SGC is in a sound financial position which allows us to continue to expand the range of high-quality services to our community. SGC services assist our community to remain independent and stay connected with the wider community. It’s a great organisation filled with passionate, dedicated people.
Ashvini Ambihaipahar
I have been with SGC for almost four years as a volunteer board member and I am so excited to continue my commitment to the organisation to ensure that we continue to provide the best quality service in the community. I will continue to strive to achieve excellence, accountability and integrity for the clients, board members, volunteers and staff of this great organisation.
Deirdre Campbell
As a previous employee of St George Community Transport, I am excited to now return as a board member. With 10 years experience in Aged Care and Disability & Mental Health, I am pleased to add my community engagement and business strategy experience to SGC. It makes me proud to be part of an organisation that has successfully provided service to our community for more than 40 years, and to contribute to the outstanding relationship that we have with our clients, members and other stakeholders. I look forward to being an integral part of our board committees, working towards the continued success of SGC.
John Harrison
As a volunteer driver I was constantly buoyed by the positive feedback I got from our clients regarding the services we provide. Their comments reinforced to me the high regard they have for SGC and the important role it plays enabling them to maintain their lives with both independence of movement and connection with broader communities. As a Board member I hope to contribute in any way I can to assist the Board and management with strategic planning, governance and operation of SGC to ensure its great work continues well into the future. I believe all SGC management and staff to be dedicated and compassionate people who consistently demonstrate that only the needs of our clients are at the forefront of everything they do.
Dr Sue Qu
As a new Board member of the St George Community (SGC), I am proud to volunteer my time to serve the community applying my previous professional skills and knowledge. My regulatory and medical experience will bring to the Board and enhance the overall governance of the organisation to achieve better and more efficient outcomes. Based on my interactions with community members, I can see that the programs and services provided by SGC have been widely used and appreciated by people in the areas for their everyday life activities. Therefore, I commit to work within the organisation and support our community.
Gavin Reynolds
As a full-time company director who has held a range of commercial and not-for-profit senior executive roles, I look forward to working with the Board and management team of St George Community. I hold over 30 years of experience in financial services covering M&A, large-scale business re-engineering and corporate turnarounds. I provide advice in the areas of risk management, internal controls, transaction support, regulatory reporting and governance practices. For me it’s all about the customer, ensuring they receive the best care outcomes.
Become a member
St George Community Transport Limited is a Company Limited by Guarantee. We have members who can have a say about the future of our organisation and can cast their vote for our Board members at the AGM.
To join the company please complete the Membership Application and Renewal Form. This will be submitted to our Board at our next meeting.
Click here to download the Application to Become a Member Form.
Charter of Aged Care Rights
The Charter of Aged Care Rights describes the client’s rights as a consumer of government-subsidised aged care services.
The Charter makes it easier for clients, their family members, carers or representatives to understand what should be expected from our services.
Clients will be sent the Charter with their welcome pack when they register with St George Community.
