March & April 2026 | LINK Community & Transport
March and April have been months of growth, transition and consolidation for LINK Community & Transport, as we begin preparing for the shift into Support at Home. The Business Development (BDM) Team has been actively aligning its strategy to this transition—focusing on building stronger relationships with Support at Home and NDIS providers, while also increasing Fee for Service (FFS) clients and accounts to diversify revenue streams beyond CHSP.
Transitioning Towards Support at Home
A key focus across both months has been preparing LINK for the upcoming transition into Support at Home under the leadership of our CEO, Fiona Fisher. The BDM Team has undertaken training centred on delivering clinically safe, risk-assessed and person-centred services that uphold dignity of risk and client choice.
Alongside this, we have refreshed and redeveloped our promotional materials, including:
- Support at Home Flyers
- Transport Flyers
- NDIS Flyers
These updated resources ensure our messaging reflects the evolving aged care landscape and supports stronger engagement with both CHSP and emerging Support at Home opportunities.
Growing Demand for Group Transport
Our Group Transport offering continues to gain strong traction, particularly our 10am–2pm model, which is proving highly effective in supporting both CHSP outcomes and operational efficiency.
A standout partner during this period has been the Filipino Community Council of Victoria, who completed five large transport bookings with LINK, including transport for the Holy Week Mass in April.
We are also seeing encouraging organic growth, with a CoHealth transport client forming a small local group in North Melbourne and beginning to utilise our Group Transport services, including a successful trip to Williamstown in April.
Group Transport Highlights
Across March and April, a wide range of groups actively utilised LINK’s Group Transport services:
- Bayanihan in Melbourne used Group Transport twice in April for trips to Port Melbourne Op Shops and Chadstone Shopping Centre
- Craigieburn Probus trialled Group Transport for the first time with a visit to Studley Park Boathouse in Kew
- CoHealth (North Melbourne group) used Group Transport for a social trip to Williamstown
- Bev’s Group utilised Group Transport for a luncheon at Hotel 520
Looking ahead, we are also seeing strong forward bookings:
- Point Cook Retirement Village clients have booked Group Transport for an upcoming airport transfer in May
- Doreen Seniors Group have secured Group Transport for an airport transfer in June
These forward bookings demonstrate growing confidence in LINK’s transport reliability and highlight new opportunities such as airport transfers as part of our FFS offering.
Strengthening Group Engagement & Outings
Our network of groups has remained highly engaged, with a diverse range of outings and transport usage across March and April:
- Filipino Community Council of Victoria (FCCVI) clients from the North and West attended their first outing of the year to the Arthurs Seat Gondola
- Craigieburn Probus attended outings to the Central Deborah Gold Mine and Kyneton Museum
- Bayanihan in Melbourne enjoyed the Hygeia Boat Cruise in March, followed by trips on the Drysdale Express and Melbourne Tramboat in April
- Sanctuary Lakes Probus travelled to SPC Factory Shepparton
- ASFAVI participated in outings to Kyabram Fauna Park and the Kabloom Festival
- Hope’s Chinese Group visited Ballarat Botanical Gardens and Pipers by the Lake
- Greensborough Probus enjoyed outings to Williamstown and the Blue Lotus Water Gardens
- Hoppers Crossing Ladies Probus attended Poyntons Nursery and a brunch outing
- Warringal Probus participated in a Williamstown Tramboat experience
- Bev’s Group attended outings to Dandenong Market and Poyntons Nursery
Additionally, residents from Summerhill, ISON Village and La Trobe Retirement Village continue to book ad hoc outings, reinforcing the long-term success of our residential engagement strategy.
A Meaningful Milestone: Carers Engagement
A key highlight was the first outing for the ParKanDo Carers Group to Werribee Zoo followed by lunch, supported through DFFH Support for Carers funding. The outing received excellent feedback and reinforced the importance of respite services.
We also onboarded new carers through groups such as ParKanDo (Newport) and Valley Carers (Moonee Valley), with continued focus on expanding this meaningful service offering.
Converting Key Groups & Building Strong Relationships
A major achievement for the BDM Team has been the successful onboarding of Doreen Seniors Group.
Rina supported their members through onboarding, securing both Transport and GSS referrals and ensuring service readiness for upcoming group bookings, including their Mother’s Day event. She also introduced members to LINK’s outings program, generating additional client engagement.
This conversion represents a strong outcome for both service uptake and long-term partnership growth.
Maribyrnong Community Connections Continues to Grow
The Maribyrnong Community Connections Program continues to gain strong traction. Across March and April:
- 16 day trips were delivered
- Approximately 120 clients participated
These affordable outings continue to support social connection and accessibility for clients. With the next brochure already in development, we expect continued growth in participation and reach.
Strategic Engagement & Partnerships
Shade has continued to strengthen LINK’s presence through engagement with retirement villages, Probus groups and senior community leaders, including coordinating upcoming outings with Point Cook Retirement Village.
In addition, Shade is actively engaging with Support at Home and NDIS providers, building a structured directory and outreach strategy to expand LINK’s presence in these sectors. This work is focused on increasing awareness of LINK’s Fee for Service (FFS), Support at Home and NDIS offerings, strengthening provider relationships and diversifying income and funding channels for long-term sustainability.
Compliance & Capability
LINK successfully completed an NDIS audit during this period, with the BDM Team confidently demonstrating compliance, quality service delivery and a strong client-first approach.
Operational Excellence & Team Contribution
The success of the past two months reflects the strong collaboration within the BDM Team:
- Rina has supported onboarding of new clients, secured Transport and GSS referrals, and ensured smooth service delivery across multiple groups
- Bec has led carers onboarding and outings, refreshed promotional flyers, and overseen the continued growth and delivery of the Maribyrnong Community Connections program
- Shade has focused on relationship-building across retirement villages, Probus and senior groups, while also working with students to build a comprehensive outreach directory across North, East and West Melbourne to support future in-person engagement
Together, the team continues to balance service delivery, outreach and strategic growth effectively.
Looking Ahead
As LINK continues its transition towards Support at Home, the BDM Team remains focused on strengthening partnerships with Support at Home and NDIS providers, while expanding Fee for Service opportunities to diversify revenue streams beyond CHSP.
With growing demand for Group Transport, strong community engagement and a clear strategy for outreach and partnerships, LINK is well positioned for the months ahead.
Thank you to our BDM, Transport, Operations and Outings teams for their continued dedication to delivering high-quality, person-centred services to our community.
