Improving access to hardship support

Transurban is supporting the launch of Thriving Community Partnerships’ One Stop One Story Hub, with our Linkt Assist team now using the world-first online platform to provide even more support for our customers.

Australian companies and their customers are connected in complex ways: the same person who drives on a toll road will also flick on a light switch when they get home, turn on the tap to do the dishes, use mobile devices to stay in touch with family and friends, and have a mortgage to pay. So if this person finds themselves struggling to pay for just one of these services, research suggests they’re also going to have trouble paying for others.

That’s where the One Stop One Story Hub comes in. The Hub will connect customers to the extensive support they are eligible for across a range of essential service sectors, instead of needing to individually contact and navigate the often-complex systems of each organisation.

We know that when people find themselves in financial hardship, telling their story over and over to different companies can be traumatising, and this can put people off accessing support services on offer. The One Stop One Story Hub will change that, by streamlining the process to get all the help they need, and creating a one-stop-shop for assistance.

The initial Hub Pilot Program will focus on supporting people impacted by family and domestic violence, with COVID-19 exacerbating these issues across Australia in recent years. The pilot has been co-designed with community partners and people with lived experience, and protecting customers’ privacy and security was a key focus during the co-design phase.

Importantly, the Hub will allow us to take our dedicated Linkt Assist support service a step further, by connecting customers with similar corporate programs or community support services and making it easier for them to get all the help they need.

Transurban united with businesses including AGL, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra, Sydney Water, and Yarra Valley Water to co-fund and help develop the One Stop One Story Hub, alongside community partners Brotherhood of St Laurence, Financial Counselling Network, Financial Counselling Victoria, QCOSS, Uniting Vic Tas, WestJustice, and WIRE, as well as technology partner Infoxchange.

The One Stop One Story Hub initiative is the brainchild of the Thriving Communities Partnership.

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