AV community advocates visit Kyneton and Bendigo

June 12, 2024 | in News

Ambulance Victoria’s (AV) Community Advisory Committee (CAC) has paid a visit to the Loddon Mallee region to better understand the work of AV’s various teams in Victoria’s north-west.

The CAC provides advice and direction to AV’s Board of Directors to ensure the diverse voices of the Victorian community are heard, understood and integrated across AV.

The Committee provides feedback on issues directly impacting the community, on community planning and engagement, as well as on community needs and impacts when AV changes policies or services.

On Tuesday 11 June the CAC toured AV facilities in Kyneton and Bendigo, meeting a range of AV personnel from auxiliary members to paramedics, regional support team members and executives.

Members of Ambulance Victoria's Community Advisory Committee together with staff from a Bendigo branch.

Ambulance Victoria’s Community Advisory Committee in Bendigo.

Committee Chair Colleen Furlanetto OAM said it was rewarding to be on the ground in Loddon Mallee and building connections with local teams.

“As a person who lives in regional Victoria, I really know the value of AV’s staff, paramedics and volunteers – they’re integral parts of the community,” Ms Furlanetto said.

“It’s a privilege to be able to meet with them and hear about their work, which I’m a great admirer of and very grateful for.

“It was insightful to discuss their challenges and opportunities and hear their stories of connection with their communities.

“A lot of people don’t realise that AV’s work isn’t just lights and sirens, and that’s really evident in rural communities.”

Ms Furlanetto said it was great to speak with some of AV’s auxiliary members.

AV auxiliaries are volunteer groups who raise funds to bolster their local ambulance services and, across their more than 100-year history, have often been the primary motivators for obtaining local ambulance services in their towns.

“Auxiliary members are stalwarts of their communities,” she said.

“They are more than just a fundraising body – they create a deep connection to community.”

Members of Ambulance Victoria's Community Advisory Committee speaking to a group of auxiliary members and paramedics at a Kyneton branch.

Ambulance Victoria’s Community Advisory Committee meeting with auxiliary members and local paramedics in Kyneton.

Ms Furlanetto, who has been Chair of the CAC since 2020, said the Committee’s role is vital.

“It’s a critical component of the Board’s governance to ensure that it has that connection to community and that the community sentiment is brought back,” she said.

“The CAC serves as a pulse check through the diverse members that we have around the table.

“But mostly, it’s extremely important in my eyes because it’s about the people.

“AV provides a service for people, by people, and the CAC keeps us grounded in ensuring that we’re connecting and hearing and seeking advice from all corners of our community.”

The CAC’s feedback to the AV Board focuses on representing Victoria’s diverse groups, including but not limited to rural and regional Victorian communities, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, LGBTQIA+, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people living with a disability, people experiencing homelessness and more.

For further information, visit the Community Advisory Committee page.