Road Trauma Services Queensland wins cash prize

Like many not-for-profit organisations, Road Trauma Services Queensland relies on the generosity of volunteers and donations to provide confidential counselling services to the local community affected by road trauma.

You can imagine their delight when they were advised they were one of three winners of Sunshine Coast Council’s Community Services Sector Mapping competition.

Community Programs Portfolio Councillor Jenny McKay said council recently invited not-for-profit based organisations to complete a survey to capture information about the services they provide to the Sunshine Coast community.

“The information received assists council to identify where gaps and duplication of services exist and to build stronger linkages across the region”, Cr McKay said.

“Our community services sector incorporates a range of services with everything from sport and recreation, health, housing, employment, disability, aged care services, services for children and young people, Indigenous and multicultural affairs and more.

“To ensure we capture an accurate picture of the services on the Coast, council provided an incentive for the groups to register to be involved in the Community Services Sector Mapping project.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce the three lucky winners are Road Trauma Services Queensland Inc., 4 Paws Animal Rescue Inc. and Sunshine Coast and District Rugby Referees Association Inc.

“Each not-for-profit group received $1000 for their employees or volunteers to participate in professional development activities related to capacity building for their organisation.

“Council recently endorsed the Sunshine Coast Social Strategy which recognised the vital and invaluable role that local community groups like these play in creating a strong Sunshine Coast community.”

Road Trauma Queensland Inc. secretary Janet Rogers said the $1000 prize money will help us to continue to deliver programs such as the Safe Driver Awareness workshops.

“We are very proud of our service as it changes lives,” she said.

“We constantly receive positive feedback from our participants who are often driving offenders or road trauma clients who have come for confidential counselling.

“Our Road Trauma Counselling is done solely by phone with qualified counsellors and a support team, who are all volunteers.

“We currently take calls anywhere from the Queensland border to Cairns and any monies donated help us with our phone bills.”

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