For many people living with disabilities, the obstacles to getting to medical appointments can be many and varied. For Darren Pickett and Kevin Tyler, it was a difficult road they faced.
To get to their weekly medical appointments, Darren and Kevin needed to cross Normanby Road, an extremely busy road, particularly during peak times.
Crossing Normanby Road was especially difficult for people living with disability, and it was sometimes dangerous.
ARROW (Advocacy, Rights, Representation, Outcomes Worth) is Melba Support Services’ advisory and advocacy group, which supports our participants to self-advocate. So, when Darren and Kevin alerted ARROW to the problem with Normanby Road, we supported them to take action.
And take action they did – with amazing results.
A petition, organised by people we support at Eisenhower and Stoffers Streets who are part of ARROW, called for the installation of a pedestrian refuge or raised platform to assist community members to safely cross the busy road.
ARROW Group members met with engineers from Baw Baw Shire Council to discuss the issues facing pedestrians and how to make the road easier to cross.
ARROW Group members have been successful. This year the council confirmed they will install a pedestrian refuge on the busy road in 2022/23.
The advocacy and campaign of the ARROW members took about eight months; with members never wavered in their passion to see change and their commitment to advocating for it.
The work of Darren and Kevin means they can now cross Normanby Road safely, as will scores of pedestrians in years to come.