Protection of Volunteers in the Workplace: a pilot study of GREAT Community Transport (GCT) Inc, Blue Mountains and Penrith, NSW

In April 2008 an accident occurred involving a GREAT Community Transport Inc (GCT) volunteer driver using his own car and the death of a client. The volunteer was charged with negligent driving causing death. In the aftermath of this "critical incident‟, a number of issues arose concerning the role and responsibility of volunteers, the adequate protection of volunteers, the role and responsibilities of third parties and funding bodies, and how small
community non-profit organisations in New South Wales such as GCT can best prepare themselves, and their volunteers, against such incidents in the future.
GCT is one of around 130 Community Transport providers in New South Wales. There are around 150,000 clients with around 2.5 million passenger trips per annum, 4,000 Community Transport drivers, with over 3,000 of these volunteer drivers across the State. Of these 3,000 drivers, around 2,000 regularly use their own private vehicles.