Bega Valley L2P Learner Driver Mentor Program
The Bega Valley L2P Learner Driver Mentor Program is a community-based program that helps young people become safe and confident drivers. This free program matches young learner drivers with volunteer mentor drivers who assist them with obtaining their required minimum 120 hours of supervised driving experience.
The learner drivers are given access to a serviced and maintained automatic car and a trusted volunteer mentor to help them obtain their licence. They also receive up to five (5) professional lessons (depending on their skill level) throughout the program.
Mentors are volunteers from our communities who undertake a selection and training process. They are over 21 years old, hold a full Australian driver’s licence and commit to whatever hours they can spare each week, it can be as little as one, we are grateful for their time to help our young adults learn. The learner driver and the mentor develop a trusted and supportive relationship which helps build driving confidence and skills.
What challenges will the project address?
The success of this program relies on the generosity of Volunteers. The L2P program relies on volunteers giving a minimum of one hour each week to help our young people get their 120 driver practice hours up. Young people will benefit from the driver mentoring by being safer and more confident drivers on our roads.
How will this work?
Volunteers driver mentors will register with us to assist with as little as an hour a week driver training time:
- Volunteers will be required to attend an induction, obtain a Working with Children’s Check, National Police Check and provide a copy of their Transport for NSW Driver Record report.
Young people will submit a participant application with us. Eligible participants will be supported on the learner driver journey & to meet the following requirements:
- Help to get their L’s – practice tests, attend Service NSW to sit the test etc
- Support to get the 120 hours of driver practice hours
- Support to attend a “Safer Driver Course” locally
- Help to prepare for and complete the “Hazard Perception Test”
- Help and support to obtain their P’s
- Help and support to regain their licence
Eligible participants will be required to attend a minimum of one “Professional driving lesson” until the Professional Driving Instructor deems them competent enough to transition to the volunteer program.
From there we will match “volunteer mentor drivers” to prospective “participant mentees”
The mentor and mentee will work together to support the learner to reach the required 120 hours of driving experience.
Funding
The Bega Valley L2P Learner Driver Mentor program is funded by a collaboration between the Bega, Merimbula and Pambula Rotary Clubs, the Pambula – Merimbula Lions Club, Lions International and the Eden Community Access Centre Inc. An application has been submitted to Transport for NSW to receive ongoing funding from the Driver Licence Access Program (DLAP), this is yet to be confirmed.
Connection to ECAC’s mission statement
The Eden Community Access Centre (ECAC) is a not-for-profit, community based organisation whose mission is to support people in need. ECAC particularly supports vulnerable populations including low socio-economic, aboriginal, disabled, rural & remote, those experiencing trauma following natural disasters and the aged. It is ECAC’s remit to improve individual and community social and economic wellbeing.
This program is aimed at disadvantaged youth that have barriers to employment and education. Barriers such as access to transport, access to a vehicle, access to a licensed driver. Many young people are economically disadvantaged and are unable to afford professional driving lessons for example.
This program will provide reliable and capable mentors to these young people, support them to overcome barriers and ideally obtain their provisional licence. This opens up opportunities to our youth such as further education, employment and social connection.
How Can I Help?
You can help by volunteering your time!
We appreciate any amount of time you can spare to mentor a young person. For example, mentors can provide as little as one hour of driver mentoring per week!
If you are over 21 years old with at least 4 years of driving experience, and you can offer your expertise to a young person, or if you are a learner driver between 16 and 24 facing challenges to obtain your 120 logbook hours, please Apply Now to complete a Registration form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be a mentor?
A fully licensed, experienced individual over the age of 21 with a cleared driver record, working with children check and a national police check can become a volunteer mentor.
Do I need to be on call?
No. We will ensure we connect compatible mentors and mentees so that they can work out times that suit them both for the driving lessons.
Do Mentors need to pass a driving test?
No. Your many years of experience will see you in good stead to teach a young person how to drive. To help you feel more comfortable and ensure you are up to date with current road rules we can help you access the online tutorials ………the same as the learner driver needs to study for.
Are the driving lessons free?
There is no charge to the learner for the professional driving lessons or for our volunteer mentors to train them to complete their 120 logbook hours.
Do I (as a learner driver) need to have had driving lessons previously to participate as a learner?
No. We will firstly send you to a professional driving school for up to 5 free lessons to ascertain your skill level. When the Professional Driver deems you competent to join our volunteer program then we will connect you with one of our Mentors who will work with you to ensure you reach your goal of 120 logbook hours.
Who to talk to – Carina Severs
Carina is the ECAC manager.
You can email Carina at admin@eden.nsw.au or phone 02 6496 3970
The Project Officer can be contacted at: begavalleyL2P@eden.nsw.au