New vehicle to build on community driver mentor programme’s success

A driver mentor programme that empowers Hurunui’s young people to get behind the wheel is expecting to double results thanks to new funding.

The Hurunui Community Driver Mentor Programme has received funding of $8,400 from Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) to cover the lease of a second vehicle for a year.

Hurunui District Council Driver Programme Coordinator Emma Feathery says having the extra vehicle means the programme will have capacity to double the current nine active mentor drivers, increasing the number of people being helped through the programme.

“The mentor driver programme evolved through MTFJ,” Feathery says. “MTFJ kept seeing that young people were being roadblocked to opportunities because they didn’t have their licence.”

Ten young people are currently working towards their driver’s licence through the driver mentor programme. Recent graduate Jacob Tamatea credits the programme for helping him to obtain his restricted licence last year.

"I'd definitely recommend the programme — it’s the reason I passed. The biggest factor was developing a driver attitude; you see everything from a different perspective."

Jacob accessed the driver mentor programme in Culverden but he and his mentor, Craig Ritchie, included a weekly drive into Rangiora to get a mix of urban and rural driving experience.

“One of the biggest challenges for young people living in Hurunui District is not having the support to gain their driver licence — from their learners, to restricted, to full licence,” says Hurunui District Council MTFJ Programme Coordinator Prudence Roberts. “MTFJ has put a lot of their young people through the driver mentor programme as a first step to connecting them to employment and training, so it made sense for them to become a stakeholder in the driver mentor programme.”

The programme is also connecting to Hurunui’s migrants and newcomers, and all members of the community are invited to apply, says Feathery.

The Hurunui Community Driver Mentor Programme steering group includes representatives from Police, secondary school principals, local fire brigades and Council, which can all make referrals to the programme.