Bank dials new future

By Dion Teasdale
WARBURTON Community Bank launched a bold new communications enterprise last week, the profits from which will help educate the Upper Yarra’s young drivers.
The bank commenced operation of its new communications service Telco Solutions and announced its intention to channel profits from the new venture toward helping young people become better drivers.
Warburton Community Bank spokesman Geoff Vickers said Telco Solutions offers a range of competitively priced packages to users of landline and mobile phones, and both dial-up and broadband internet services.
“The new service is available to customers Australia-wide but we expect most of our customers to come for the Upper Yarra,” he said.
“Signing up is simple and easy, whether you are an existing bank customer or not. All you have to do is contact the bank and fill out a form.”
Mr Vickers said that like the organisation’s banking services, Warburton Community Bank’s Telco Solutions was about retaining capital within our community.
“Having already delivered generous funding to a range of Upper Yarra community-based organisations over the past six years, Warburton Community Bank has turned its attention to driver education,” he said.
“Profits from the new Telco initiative will be used to help our young drivers to become safer on the road.”
Mr Vickers said that under an arrangement with the highly accredited Victoria-based Driver Training Academy, Warburton Community Bank will offer several five-day driver education courses to selected learner-drivers who live in the Upper Yarra.
“Under our Community Enterprise arrangements with Bendigo Bank, Telco income will be dedicated to a special fund in order to educate learners about surviving on the road – not just passing their driving test,” he said.
“Participants will have the opportunity through a systematic and intensive, theoretical and practical course to develop not only the driving skills required to avoid accidents, but also to embed the often overlooked attitude of safe, defensive driving.”
Mr Vickers said he anticipated the programs, which lead to the nationally-accredited Level 1 Certificate in Road Transport, would be coordinated by local emergency services, schools and community organisations.
“As well as preparing the next generation for survival on our roads, the program includes a special component to educate unqualified instructors – especially parents and guardians – in training our learner-drivers better,” he said.
“This is especially important in short-circuiting the tendency to perpetuate bad habits.”
Mr Vickers said successful applicants must already be learner-drivers and members of families who have subscribed to Warburton Community Bank’s Telco Solutions.
He said the bank hoped to have participants go through the driver education course as early as June.