Driver’s delight with extension of driver mentor program
Moonee Valley City Council’s driver mentor program for newly-arrived refugees and immigrants is set to continue thanks to a renewed partnership between Council and Transurban.
The Transurban DriveLink program assists immigrants and refugees in Flemington by matching them with volunteers to practice their driving.
Without access to a supervisor driver, learning to drive can be very costly. For many immigrants and refugees this makes it impossible for them to get a drivers’ licence. Ultimately, this creates a barrier for many community members to undergo their daily activities, travel, or get to work. The Transurban DriveLink program trains volunteers to act as driving supervisors and provides a vehicle for the participants to practice in. Volunteers work with learners to teach them new skills and prepare for their driving test.
Many participants want to get their licence to access employment and study opportunities, and to increase their independence.
We spoke with one of our DriveLink volunteers, Viv, on why she decided to participate in the program. Read the interview below and discover Viv’s journey with her driving student, Sofia.
What made you interested in volunteering with the DriveLink?
“Having grown up in the country I understood from a young age about the freedom and independence that comes with having a drivers licence. So when I saw the article in the Council newsletter last year I jumped at the chance of being able to support someone to get their freedom and independence”
What do you enjoy about it?
“I have been lucky enough to be partnered with Sofia. Spending time in the car with her brings me a lot of joy. I am learning so much about her, her family and her culture – and we do it all with a lot of laughter. And of course her driving is also improving!”
What changes have you noticed in Sofia’s driving?
“I think the moment that we had our first really big laugh, that Sofia visibly relaxed and her driving improved. It can be intimidating being in the car with someone, so once I realised that if I could relax her that her driving would improve, then I noticed a really big improvement in her driving. Fingers crossed she will be able to sit her driving test soon!”
What would you say to anyone thinking about volunteering?
“I can ‘hand on heart’ say this is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I feel privileged to be able to give some of my time to this program. Not only have I formed a new friendship but I also now have access to some of the best homemade chilli sauce ever. So I encourage anyone thinking about getting involved, to just do it. ”
Interested in becoming a volunteer? Contact 9243 1416 or youth@mvcc.vic.gov.au . You can also visit the Valley Youth website to find out more.