By Sahar Foladi
South East Community Links (SECL) has formed a “network-first” partnership with Metro Trains to provide community support and minimise anti-social behaviour at Dandenong railway station.
Two SECL ‘community connector’ practitioners are at the station from 1pm to 5pm on weekdays.
As part of the new community outreach program, they engage with the community, provide emotional support, encounter people with substance use and provide them with assistance.
The Community Connectors will provide direct links for emergency relief, youth housing and empowerment programs, settlement services, and financial counselling.
Carolyn McAlister, SECL’s community partnership manager, says their positive presence is widely welcomed and impactful.
“We’ve been making ourselves available, we are out there on the platform and monitoring.
“Our community connectors, with 30 and 25 years of experience, have that knowledge and are well equipped to pick up when people are distressed if they appear to express issue with homelessness.
“We are available on the spot, provide a direct response and provide referral for a follow up in the office.”
Ms McAlister was able to engage with a lady who’d just attended a funeral and seemed upset.
“We sat with her, had a conversation and improved her mood to some degree while she waited for that train.”
The lady who had a long journey ahead of her, was very thankful for the 15 minute chat.
Four hours, five days a week – in almost four weeks these local superheroes have engaged with and helped 360 people.
The community connectors have qualifications in social work, mental health and nursing.
“We had one situation where one person was distressed and intended to self-harm,” Ms McAlister said.
“One of the staff … called for us. Normally they would have to call a PSO but we were able to engage with that man and were able to re-direct him and keep him safe.
“Normally when a situation like that occurs it’ll be up to the Metro staff to handle, but they don’t have that knowledge or specialty skills to work with someone in those situations.”
According to Ms McAlister, trains would be potentially halted which would affect thousands of commuters, in such a situation.
The man’s mother was contacted and immediately made her way to pick him up.
Apart from being thankful to the Metro staff and SECL’s community connectors, she expressed willingness to gain support from services like SECL, post incident.
“That was a very good outcome for that man and for the Metro staff – we prevented a potential trauma from occurring,” Ms McAlister said.
According to her, this initiative also supports Metro Trains staff in providing good customer service.
“I had a conversation with the station staff regarding people with challenging behaviours and there’s always a concern from station masters.
“Station masters have to spend time just talking to somebody from the public,” Ms McAlister said.
“What this does is they are able to get on with their work and provide good metro train services with the help of us, knowing they don’t have to take staff out of what they’re already doing.”
The program will also provide training to station staff to assist them to better understand the local community environment and support services available.
It aims to minimise some of the biggest challenges for Metro Trains – anti-social behaviour and trespass incidents, which can regularly cause delays to train services.
Metro Trains Head of Stations, Chloe Smith said they’re proud of partnering with SECL in a “network-first” program.
“Trespassing and anti-social behaviour can have big impacts to our network, we want to work in our local areas to help combat this behaviour and improve social outcomes for people in the surrounding communities.”
According to SECL, last year there were more than 100 incidents relating to trespassing and illegal activity at Dandenong Station impacting almost 500 train services.
While crime on and around public transport has increased by almost 41 per cent in 2022 compared to pre-Covid levels, Greater Dandenong has topped the local government with the highest public transport crime rates outside of Melbourne CBD.
Melbourne’s CBD was the scene for more than 1800 public-transport crimes recorded last year while Greater Dandenong recorded 982 incidents.
SECL chief executive officer, Peter McNamara said the community connectors are a valuable addition to the Dandenong Station “contributing to a safe, inclusive and vibrant community space for everyone.”
He said mental health is one of the greatest challenges affecting the local communities as 80 per cent of SECL clients face mental health problems.
“Community Connectors provide another door to access and re-engage with services, breaking down the stigma experienced by many people.
“Our work aims to ensure a coordinated, best practice response through engaging and working with local mental health and alcohol and other drugs services while providing wrap-around supports that address issues such as emergency relief, financial hardship, unemployment, housing and social isolation.”
The ‘innovative partnership’ will continue for the next 12 months.
“There are many people in the community that may be struggling but may not know where to get help,” Ms McAlister said.
“By having us there in non-traditional setting, it can be less over whelming conversation because they are not on our turf we are on theirs, so people feel more comfortable and accept assistance.”
The trial will inform the potential roll out to other stations in the Dandenong area and to other parts of the Metro network
