skip to content

Community

Community Advisory Committee

The Community Advisory Committee is appointed by the Ambulance Victoria (AV) Board to ensure the voices of all Victorian communities are heard, understood, and integrated across AV’s work and services. Members are our communities’ advocates, and their experience and contributions are highly valued by the Board and organisation.

The Committee:

  • advises the Board on issues impacting the community, so that all Victorians have equitable access to safe, effective, and timely care.
  • provides guidance on community needs and impacts when AV changes policies or services, and on effective community planning and engagement.
  • participates in AV’s strategic planning, and annually reports to the Board on delivery of the Community and Consumer Engagement Plan.
  • advises on the needs of our more disadvantaged and/or difficult to reach community members, including:
    • rural and regional communities.
    • culturally and linguistically diverse groups, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the homeless, refugees, and people impacted by domestic or family violence.
    • people who may find it difficult to communicate with paramedics during their care experience, or who have special access needs in their own homes or in ambulances.

“The Committee is a valued forum through which its members and AV are held to account for ensuring the needs and experiences of communities are understood and respected…it ensures a community diversity lens is considered in AVs strategies and planning.”
– Colleen Furlanetto OAM, Committee Chair, AV Board Member

An opportunity now exists to join the Community Advisory Committee. To find out more:

Our current members are:

Colleen FurlanettoColleen Furlanetto OAM

Colleen Furlanetto, Committee Chair, was appointed as a Board Director with Ambulance Victoria from 1 July 2020. She is a passionate and committed community leader, specialising in diversity, equality, and the disability sector.

Living in rural Victoria, Colleen is a Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer leader and supporter of the CFA Rehabilitation Health Monitoring Team and other committee roles in strategic planning, and diversity and inclusion in CFA. She is also Board member of Regional Development Victoria – Goulburn Regional Partnership.

With a background in nursing, Colleen’s interests extend across health access for those living in rural and regional Victoria, including those with disability. From 2008 to 2016, she was an elected local government representative (Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Mayor), focusing on community access to healthcare and timely emergency support for rural areas. She has also served on a variety of not-for-profit boards, including organisations involved in the prevention of violence against girls and women.

Colleen enjoyed two terms as a member of Victoria’s Disability Advisory Council including two years as Chair. In 2020, she concluded her three-year term as inaugural Disability Commissioner for Commercial Vehicles Victoria (taxi and rideshare industries). In 2015, Colleen was the recipient of the Brenda Gabe Award for Women with Disability Victoria, followed by the Australian Human Rights Commissioner Inspire Award in 2016.

 

Zeinab MourabZeinab Mourab

Zeinab Mourab has a passion for creating positive change through advocacy, community projects, education, and awareness. She has contributed to organisations through project, women’s empowerment, youth mentoring, charity, and interfaith activities. Zeinab manages community events for the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy and works at Charles Sturt University as an academic mentor. She completed a Bachelor of Youth Work in 2014 and Master of Islamic Studies in 2019. Zeinab is a guest speaker, including at local Council events, and facilitates high school capacity building workshops. She is a member of the Activate Youth Board, Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilization Board, and Victoria Police Muslim Reference group.

 

 

Ross CoverdaleRoss Coverdale

Ross Coverdale was a long-term CEO of Araluen, a disability service in Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs at the forefront of developing innovative supports and housing for adults with intellectual disabilities. Ross has vast community sector experience having worked in homelessness, mental health, youth, and literacy promotion. He spent three years in Zimbabwe managing a hospital and HIV/AIDS projects and coordinating village-based community development.

Ross also held roles in consumer advocacy and community engagement, and committee memberships including with the Royal Children’s Cancer Centre, establishment of the Eltham Community Hospital, the Salvation Army, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Centrelink, the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman, and the Victorian Council of Social Services.

 

David McCarthyDavid McCarthy

David McCarthy is a proud member of the LGBTQI+ community and is currently the Board Chair and President of JOY 94.9 Media, the largest LGBTQI+ membership organisation in Australasia. He also volunteers as host of the news and current affairs show Saturday Magazine.

David is passionate about health outcomes, community engagement and education. He previously served as a Director of the Victorian Aids Council and as CEO of People Living with HIV/AIDS Victoria. David’s experience as a community advocate has also been informed by his previous experience as Convenor of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, President of Bent TV and Vice President of the ALSO Foundation.

 

Kane TreloarKane Treloar

Kane Treloar has worked in emergency services roles in the Victorian community in a volunteer and professional capacity for almost 20 years. He is currently a board director at Life Saving Victoria, where he holds responsibility for the lifesaving services portfolio which, through more than 3500 volunteer lifesavers, deliver rescue services to the Victorian community.

Kane was born and raised in Melbourne’s west, where he spent the last decade as a Victoria Police member.  His work at Life Saving Victoria and Victoria Police has enabled Kane to engage with a broad cross section of the community. He is passionate about equal access to community services and opportunities for to success.

Kane also works as a risk advisor in Australia and overseas and is a board member of Urban Camp, which provides urban experiences for young people from regional communities.

 

Laura CollisterLaura Collister

Laura Collister is passionate about supporting people to achieve good mental health in the community. Laura was appointed CEO of Wellways Australia in December 2019, having previously been the Director, Services, Research and Development, where she oversaw the provision of community-based mental health and psychosocial disability services to over 9,000 Australians.  Laura’s early career was in large psychiatric institutions, where she assisted residents to prepare for community living.  She also worked as an occupational therapist and case manager in one of the earliest community teams in Broadmeadows, and in specialist mental health units at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Laura lectured at La Trobe University, where she played a leading role in developing the University’s mental health curriculum.  She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy (BAppSc (OT)) and a Masters by research in Applied Science (MAppSc).

Ambulance Victoria Community and Consumer Plan 2020 – 2022

The Ambulance Victoria Community and Consumer Engagement Plan recognises that shared leadership and action by our organisation and the community is needed to deliver the Best Care to the Victorian community. We want to continue to be an organisation that actively listens to our community and consumers about how we can best serve them and work with them.

This Plan provides a roadmap for the activities we are committed to delivering in partnership with the community. They include the establishment of a Consumer Register and the expansion of the Heart Safe Communities initiative, a program that develops people’s confidence, knowledge and skills to take lifesaving action when someone is in cardiac arrest.

Ambulance Victoria Community and Consumer Plan 2020 – 2022

Voices of our Community

Ambulance Victoria is an emergency service that prides itself on giving our patients the right care at the right place at the right time. Community feedback can help us improve the service we provide you and your community, and in turn, your participation in an emergency may help save someone’s life.

Learn More

Community & Partnership

Ambulance Victoria works as part of our communities to deliver local emergency health care solutions, collaborating with community organisations and partners to improve health outcomes.

Learn More

Our Volunteers

Ambulance Victoria is supported by thousands of volunteers in rural and remote areas.

Learn More

Our Education

Community Education aims to build community capacity to respond to a health emergency and enhance the community’s understanding of the value of Ambulance Victoria.

Learn More