Locals in Ballarat have been queuing up outside the shire's main library waiting to access vaccine passport support, amid concerns some older people are struggling with the process.
About two weeks ago Ballarat Library established a one-on-one support service to help people set up their vaccine passports, after it saw an influx of people, particularly seniors, coming in for help.
Since then, demand has been high, and the library has already helped around 400 people get their vaccine proof set up.
The service has become essential as the community prepares for restrictions to ease from 6pm on Friday.
After that, proof of full vaccination will be required to access a range of services, including local council services in Ballarat.
It is not the first regional library offering this kind of support in preparation, with similar services available in Warrnambool and Glenelg shires.
A need for assistance
Ballarat Library's community engagement and partnerships coordinator, Julie Stevens, said people had been left puzzled after the state's decision to mandate proof of vaccination.
She said support varied between people — from setting up an email account so they can then create a MyGov account, all the way through to linking their certificates with Service Victoria.
"Each day we're helping probably between 65 and 70 people with this service — clearly there was a need for assistance ," Ms Stevens said.
Ms Stevens said the demand can mean long wait times, but she found most people were "incredibly appreciative" of the support and happy to wait.
A long process
Graeme Seymour, one of the many people waiting outside the library on Tuesday, said he had found the process for accessing the vaccination certificates difficult.
Mr Seymour said he had gone back and forth between Telstra and Centrelink until they eventually sent him to the library to get help.
"There's been a bit of running around to get it done, but hopefully I'll get it done now," he said.
"Because I struggle with my health, I want to make sure everything is in place and easier to get in and out of places."
Support from tech savvy youth
Katja Fiedler, coordinator of Ballarat Youth Services, said her organisation is working with the library to have their "tech-savvy" youth facilitators and volunteers support the seniors who come in for the service, hopefully in a couple of weeks.
"It also would be wonderful for the intergenerational exchange there — there are so many benefits to reverse mentoring," Ms Fiedler said.
For now, the Ballarat Library is offering another drop-in session on Thursday, but it will review demand at the end of the week and is likely to offer more sessions.
But Ms Stevens said anyone who misses the sessions can call the Ballarat, Wendouree and Sebastopol libraries to organise a walk-in session.
