In the lead-up to International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD) on Saturday, December 3, Metro Trains authorised officers and Victoria Police transit officers caught up with clients of Scope Community Group in St Albans for a coffee and train trip into the city.
The move aimed to help Scope clients feel more comfortable travelling on the public transport network and to help them build confidence.
Scope is a not-for-profit organisation that works with people of all ages and abilities, supporting them to achieve their goals and to bring possibilities to life.
Eight clients and their carers from Scope Community Group, St Albans met local Metro Trains authorised officers and Victoria Police transit officers at St Albans Station before heading to Flinders Street Station as a group.
The group sat down for a coffee and a chat at Time Out Coffee at Federation Square before heading back on a Sunbury Line train to St Albans Station.
Scope Community Group service coordinator Alexandra Saenz said that the clients on the trip were thrilled to meet with their local authorised officers and transit officers.
“It was a great opportunity for them to build relationships with their local community officers, and to practise using the train network,” she said.
The clients of Scope Community Group were given tips on how to buy a myki, where to catch local buses, and how to access information or help at their local train station.
One of the clients that went on the trip, Carmen Debono, was also able to provide some tips of her own to the authorised officers and transit officers present on the trip on how to better communicate with people with a disability.
Carmen was engaged by Metro Trains and Victoria Police earlier this year to provide training to teams, and she was thrilled to be able to extend some tips to the team present yesterday.
The Metro Trains and Victoria Police teams regularly team up to help different community groups get back on the rails and break down barriers to accessing the network.
Whether passengers are people with accessibility needs, a senior, a parent, a carer, or someone with little experience travelling on public transport, the aim is for them to feel more confident and comfortable when using the network.
Metro Trains authorised officers, transit Police and Protective Services Officers are always available to help all passengers at train stations across metropolitan Melbourne and regional centres across Victoria.
Metro Trains acting chief executive officer Pete Ryan said it was important for people to feel that they have the tools they need to get to where they need to go safely and with confidence.
“Our friendly authorised officers are not just there to check tickets; they are present at our stations to support passengers travelling on the network to ensure they get to their destinations safely,” he said.
“Metro Trains’ team of over 450 authorised officers are ready to assist all over the network.”
