A transport on demand program helping give freedom back to those living with disability has made it's return after an inaugural year that was severely hampered by COVID restrictions.
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LIFT, which launched in January 2020 and saw usage every weekend up until the program was put on hold in March due to the pandemic, is looking for volunteers able to lend their time to make sure those with physical difficulties are able to live life to the fullest.
Alanna Gallagher, a multi-site co-ordinator for the program at Live Better, transported one of the first returning patrons of the service on Friday evening and says the wait has been tough for some.
"Helen Riley and the guys put so much work in to get it up and running and off the ground, so it's been a really long wait to bring it back, but obviously it could only happen when it was safe to do so," Ms Gallagher said.
While the service has been invaluable in allowing residents to get to medical appointments and other situations on time, there are also a number of recreational transport services provided, that can be almost as important.
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"One of the guys who we're transporting tonight, he was the first person to book in, we're taking him to Club Dubbo and then we'll pick him up, grab some Chinese food and take him home," Ms Gallagher said.
"It's that little stuff we don't think about; going for a beer on Friday afternoon, then grabbing some food and heading home."
"That makes so much of a difference for some of these people."
The commitment from a volunteer can be as low as just a few hours a month, with a very flexible level of participation from those who want to help out by being drivers.
"They need a C class driver's license and they have to be a volunteer through Live Better, that involves a police check and a working with children check, but other than that, it's just being willing to give it a go," Ms Gallagher said.
"It can be an hour or two a month, it doesn't have to be a big commitment, all we want is more people who can be involved."
Ms Gallagher said the importance of keeping people social and active was even more apparent after the service had been forced to shut down, and many people had been trapped at home.
"Going into lockdown you realise how much of that social aspect of your life means to you, I only lost it for a couple of months and I was upset, last year really showed how much social isolation cam impact people," Ms Gallagher said.
"To be able to help out these people, to bring back that option and way of life for people - 'lifechanging' is very cliche, but it is true - bringing that Independence back is huge for all these people."
The LIFT program, which was formed as part of a partnership between icare NSW, SwiftFare, the Dubbo Regional Council, the NSW Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program and Western Rural Spinal Cord Injury services, as well as LiveBetter, is hoping to develop and distribute a mobile app in the future as well.
Anyone looking to volunteer, or to find out more about the service, can contact Live Better on 6882 7711.
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