STAR Spotlight: Rob Spencer
Rob Spencer- past Chairperson, Board Member
STAR is honoured to have Rob Spencer as the Chair of STAR Community Services. Rob joined in 2004 when the Board was newly formed. As STAR grew in size and community involvement, Rob became Chairperson of Board of Directors. Rob says, “In the beginning, we had Board members from State Government, Redland Council, Blue Care, Anglicare, and client representatives. When the various Governments changed their funding assistance models, STAR realised that transport alone would not survive and we broadened our services into aged care, disability and maintenance services.”
Rob also worked as a STAR Volunteer Driver. Over the past sixteen years, there have been many changes: numbers of vehicles, types of vehicles, adding drivers while the number of clients grew exponentially. As the business grew, Rob remembers commencing Saturday runs, purchasing a bus, and extending the driving hours. We also broadened geographically, culminating in the merger with CODI in Ipswich and the SMBI agreement with the Island taxis.
STAR’s business model was always about using volunteers and the board ensured that development continued. This thinking has helped, STAR connect with a great group of volunteers throughout the community.
Rob believes, “When we consider the number of volunteers who have been with STAR for well over fifteen years, it says a lot about the values, culture, management and focus of the organisation.”
Beyond STAR, Rob participates in research trials and scientific studies. The cognitive studies involve topics such as “Attitudes to Ageing” and "Physical Activity and Ageing”. The research trials have taken him to institutions throughout Australia focusing on cognitive, physical and medical issues when people age.
Rob is an inspiration to the community and a valuable leader at STAR Community Services.
From the following one can see the wealth of experience and knowledge Rob Spencer bring not only to STAR but to our community.
Experience
2002 - 2020
- Volunteer with various organisations based in Redland City, Ipswich City and Brisbane City. Some contact with Logan City and Gold Coast City
- These included:
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- Volunteer Marine Rescue
- Older People Speak Out - Newsletter
- Redland District Committee on the Ageing – Member, Newsletter Editor
- National Seniors Australia – Victoria Point Branch Vice President. Secretary/Member Queensland State Policy Advisory Group. Zone Chairman for a group of 16 branches
- STAR Community Services – Board Chair, Board Secretary, Driver, Member sub-committees
- Transport Development and Solutions Alliance (Peak Body for Community Transport) – Vice President
- Redland Bushcare – Manager, member
- Redland Disability Network – Facilitator and Co-ordinator
- Redland Senior Network – Member
- Redland Mental Health Network – Member
- Redland Coast Dementia Community – Member and occasional secretary
- Redland Interagency Network – Member
- Ipswich Disability Network – Member
- Ipswich Seniors Network – Member and occasional chair
- Logan Disability Network – Member and Assistant
- Logan Seniors Network - Member
- Redland SMBI Hub – Member
- Community Capacity Building and Inclusion Group – Member
- Information Technology into Aged Care – Member (sub-Committee of Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council)
- Involved in community activities including Seniors Week, Disability Week, Elder Abuse Day, Dementia Week, Mental Health Week, Volunteers’ Day
- Current Secretary and previous Chairperson of Redland Quilt Extravaganza
- Fairview Aged Care and Health Care Services, Warragul, Victoria – Board Member
- Redland City Council Covid19 Aged and Disability Working Group - Member
2004 - 2020 STAR Community Services
- Board Member, including Secretary and Policy Officer
- Chairperson of Board of Directors
- Initiated Volunteering Redlands
- Initiated changes to thrust and structure, eg, NDS, CHSP, HAS, Community Bus, from STAR Community
- Transport to current structure
- Developed Board structure including, Inductions, Governance, Quality Assurance, Sub-committees
- Wrote original Policy and Procedures Manuals
- Volunteer Driver
- Member of management team involved in merger with CODI, Ipswich
2010 - 2020 Redland and Other Community Network
- Co-ordinate Redland Disability Network
- Member Ipswich Disability Network and Ipswich Seniors Network
- Member Redland Seniors Network
- Member Redlands Mental Health Network
- Member Redlands Dementia Network
- Member Redland Inter Agency Network
- Member Redland Aged Care Provider Group
- Member Logan Seniors and Disability Networks
- Member SMBI Wellbeing Hub
- Worked and continue to work closely with NDS, NDIS, NDS Workability, Redland City Council, Ipswich City Council, Every Australian Counts on Disability matters
- Worked and continue to work closely with Redland City Council, Logan City Council and Ipswich City Council and various organisations on Seniors issues
Education
Bachelor Degree Agriculture
Bachelor Degree Business
