Diversity a winning formula at Ford centre
11 August 2009
Andrew Jones will always be ‘a Holden man’ but Ford, he admits, is making fast gains.
Dusting gleaming vintage and top-of-the-range models every Wednesday morning as a volunteer at Geelong’s Ford Discovery Centre, Andrew has learned to appreciate the Ford, as much as he has the value of ‘real’ work.
A Karingal client, 29 year-old Andrew started helping out at the Discovery Centre in March this year after Karingal Volunteer Co-ordinator, Judy Simkin, made arrangements with the centre’s director, Mark Giles.
According to Judy, it was “a match made in heaven”, with Andrew able to indulge his passion for cars while simultaneously giving back to the community by volunteering at a major Geelong tourist attraction.
“Every time I used to see Andrew he was looking at a Holden book,’’ Judy says. “It wasn’t hard to work out that he was into cars.”
While a support person attended the Discovery Centre with Andrew for a few weeks, it became apparent he did not require one-on-one support, Judy says.
“Andrew is quiet and shy but he’s active, works hard and gets on well with people,’’ she says. “I sort of knew it would work out fine.”
Mark Giles concurs Andrew is more than capable of performing his regular duties of tidying outside the centre, dusting cars, polishing glass and folding brochures.
“Andrew makes me and the centre look good,’’ Mark laughs.
“He keeps it looking terrific.”
So good, in fact, the Ford Discovery Centre was named the RACV’s third top Victorian tourism experience in 2008.
The centre has volunteers of widely varying ages and abilities; all united by a passion for cars and a desire to volunteer, Mark says.
“It’s quite amazing, we’ve got people helping out here aged from 21 to 86 … it’s a very diverse environment and that’s what makes it such a stimulating one,’’ he says.
“It (the diversity of volunteers) works brilliantly for us. We cater for everyone’s abilities and differences but we treat everyone just the same.’’
By all accounts, the regular Wednesday morning commitment also works brilliantly for Andrew.
“I like all the cars,’’ he says. “I like dusting them the best.’’
If they were Holdens, he chuckles, he’d like dusting them just a little bit better.