Business Development Team Update

May & June 2026 | LINK Community & Transport

May and June have been months of exceptional growth, strategic outreach and community celebration for LINK Community & Transport. As we steady our stride toward the Support at Home transition, the Business Development (BDM) Team has focused on expanding our regional footprint across Melbourne, unlocking new growth opportunities and cementing our role as a trusted community and transport partner.

Driving Social Connection: Maribyrnong Community Connections (MCC)

The Maribyrnong Community Connections Program continues to be a shining beacon for localised social activity.

• The Big Launch: Led by Bec, the new MCC brochure was meticulously prepared throughout May and officially released in June, covering bookings from July to December 2026.

• The Mission: This program is specifically designed to bring Maribyrnong clients closer together and keep them socially active. With an exciting lineup of diverse outings scheduled for the next six months, we anticipate a strong surge in local participation and engagement.

Celebrating Culture & Community Partnerships

June marked a festive period of independence and cultural milestones, during which LINK proudly stepped up as a key sponsor and transport ally.

Filipino Community Council of Victoria (FCCVI)

On June 19th, LINK supported FCCVI’s major Independence Day event at the Hyatt Essendon.

• Transported 50+ clients safely to and from the venue.

• Sponsored the event as an official transport partner, presenting FCCVI with 3 large prize hampers to give away to clients.

Bayanihan in Melbourne

Our relationship with the Bayanihan group reached new heights this bi-month. LINK proudly supported their Independence Day celebration in June as a community partner, providing beautiful hampers to be given out during the group’s raffle.

Group Transport Momentum & CHSP Model Success

Our Group Travel Deal continues to see an impressive uptick, particularly among senior groups and retirement villages looking for reliable, coordinated transit under the CHSP (Commonwealth Home Support Programme) model.

The Airport Transfer Boom

We are seeing a lucrative rise in airport transit inquiries utilised under this special CHSP group travel deal:

• Point Cook Retirement Village: 8 clients successfully utilised our CHSP group travel deal for seamless to-and-fro airport transfers in May.

• Doreen Seniors Group: Operations are currently preparing a large-scale airport transfer for this group hitting the tarmac in July and August under the CHSP framework.

Group Transport & Faith-Based Highlights

• Doreen Seniors Group: Mobilised over 40 members on May 8th for a highly successful Mother’s Day transport job via our Group Travel Deal. The members expressed immense satisfaction with the service. The group is already planning an August outing to the South Melbourne Market.

• Craigieburn Probus Group: Engaged our group transport in June for a lovely day out to Arundale Farm.

• U3A Bhutanese Group: Partnered with LINK to charter transport for a sacred temple visit in Melbourne.

• Eucharistic Fraternity: Led by Verista Tambyl, this group leveraged our Group Travel Deal to attend a religious function in Williamstown, travelling from Melbourne.

• Inner-City Organic Growth: In a fantastic display of grassroots connection, a brand-new client group formed in inner-city Melbourne, utilising LINK transport for a social lunch at the Braybrook Hotel in June.
• Hoppers Crossing Ladies Probus: Hit the road in May, using group transport for an excursion to the Prahran Market.

Securing the Future: S4C Funding & FY27 Carers Calendar

In a major strategic win for our respite services, Shade—with invaluable support from Bec—has successfully secured the Support for Carers (S4C) budget utilisation. This achievement locks in a comprehensive roster of dedicated carers’ outings for the entire 2026/2027 Financial Year (FY27), ensuring continuous support and connection for our region’s unsung heroes.

The finalised and emerging dates for the FY27 Carers calendar include:

• July 2026: Morwell FCCVI Carers Outing – Kicking off the new financial year’s program with a dedicated respite trip.

• September 2026: Wallan Seniors Carers Outing – A curated social trip focused on peer connection for the Wallan network.

• 6th October 2026: Bendigo Health Carers Outing – A targeted regional respite day delivered in partnership with Bendigo Health.

• November 2026: Valley Carers Outing – Continuing our deep engagement with the Moonee Valley caregiver network.

• March 2027: Bendigo Health Carers Outing (Autumn) – Our second seasonal partnership trip with Bendigo Health for the financial year.

• April 2027: Barwon Health Carers Outing – Extending our care outreach into the Barwon region for autumn respite.

• Pending Confirmations: We are actively collaborating with ParKanDo and the Peninsula Parkinson’s Peer Support Group to lock in their specific dates, which are currently being slated for either February or June 2027.

Strengthening Engagement: LINK Outings Program

Our all-inclusive Outings Program has kept calendars packed and clients vibrant across May and June with an array of seasonal trips.

• Sanctuary Lakes Probus: Enjoyed a spectacular June day out on the Hygeia Boat Cruise, soaking up the winter sunshine and great company.

• Hope’s Chinese Group: Experienced a step back in time at the Old Gippstown Heritage Town in May, followed by a delicious Yum Cha lunch at Gold Leaf Restaurant and visits to cultural temples in the Springvale area in June.

• Point Cook Retirement Village: Enjoyed their own scenic voyage on the Hygeia Boat Cruise as part of their dedicated May outing.

• Craigieburn Probus: Travelled together in May for an immersive educational trip to the Kyneton Museum.

• Ladies Probus of Hoppers Crossing: Journeyed back in time to ride the historic Castlemaine to Maldon Steam Train.

• Bev’s Group: Indulged their sweet tooth at Panny’s World of Chocolate and stocked up on goods at the SPC Factory in Shepparton.

• Warringal Probus: Enjoyed an elegant afternoon, attending a delightful High Tea experience in May.

• A Gift of Respite: Carers Outings: Demonstrating our immediate commitment to those who care for others, the Valley Carers (Moonee Valley) embarked on a special carers’ trip to Daylesford in May. Offered entirely free of charge, this outing provided vital respite, deep relaxation and meaningful peer connection for the hard-working carers in our network before the kickoff of our newly secured FY27 calendar.

Strategic Outreach & Local Government Engagement

Shade has been hitting the pavement hard over the last two months, driving grassroots presentations, distributing promotional collateral across East and West Melbourne, and unlocking critical local government pathways.

Yarra City Council Breakthrough

With the invaluable assistance of Cuc Lam, Shade successfully engaged with Yarra City Councillors to deliver the core message of LINK’s mission. The councillors were incredibly receptive and are actively working to connect LINK with neighbourhood houses and community centres across Yarra City. This will prove vital in mapping out and reaching vulnerable residents who need our transport and outing services most.

Key Community Presentations

Re-engaging for the New Financial Year

Looking ahead to the new Financial Year, Shade has successfully re-engaged the Australian Filipino Community Services (AFCS) and the Wyndham Ladies Probus, both of whom have expressed keen interest in locking in a fresh calendar of outings with LINK.

Compliance, Capability & Internal Training

Growth requires operational readiness. To ensure our frontline workforce is fully prepared for the upcoming structural shifts in national aged care, Shade led comprehensive volunteer and staff training sessions within LINK.

These sessions clearly mapped out the changing landscapes of Support at Home (SAH) and broader Aged Care systems, ensuring our volunteers and hosts remain confident, compliant and deeply person-centred in their daily delivery.

Summary of Team Contributions

The milestone achievements of May and June are a testament to the synchronised efforts of our BDM personnel:

• Bec seamlessly balanced the design, production and successful rollout of the new MCC brochure while working dynamically with Shade to lock in the critical S4C funding parameters.

• Shade expanded our geographic boundaries into the Eastern suburbs, secured invaluable local council alliances, delivered high-impact presentations to hundreds of seniors, mapped out the upcoming year’s carers framework and upskilled our vital volunteer network.

• Rina (alongside our excellent Operations and Outings teams) ensured that massive group bookings—like the 40+ Mother’s Day movement and multi-bus cultural festivals—were executed safely, seamlessly and with a smile.

As we move into the colder months, the warmth of our community connections has never been stronger. Thank you team for an incredible bi-month!