Program helps 200 drivers hit the roads
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The Baw Baw TAC L2P driver mentor program has celebrated a major milestone in helping to qualify its 200th probationary driver.
The community based program provides driving experience to learner drivers who for a variety of reasons find it difficult to achieve the minimum amount of hours and experience required to gain their probationary licence.
The program is partially funded by the TAC and managed by the Department of Transport and Planning. It is delivered by either local councils or not-for-profit community groups. The Baw Baw L2P program is headed up by co-ordinator Julie Kleverlaan.
The L2P program is free for learner drivers who meet the eligibility criteria. Once accepted into the program, learners are matched with a fully licensed volunteer mentor and have access to a program car which is used to gain supervised driving experience to the level needed their probationary licence testing. Currently, Baw Baw L2P has two automatic cars and one manual car for mentors and candidates to train in.
In addition to funding from the TAC, a number of partner organisations and sponsors provide funding and support to the organisation.
Learner drivers and mentors recently gathered to celebrate the Baw Baw program’s 200th qualified P plater since it began in 2009.
Julie said the event was both a celebration for those who had earned their licence but also a thank you for the many volunteer mentors and local sponsors who made the achievement possible.
“None of this could have happened without the generous contribution from our sponsors and driver mentors,” she said. “Our organisation aims to provide the service for learner drivers who don’t have a suitable supervisor driver or appropriate car to drive in. This may be due to family separation and geographic reasons or ill health in the family to the family just not having a roadworthy or registered car to make use of,” she said.
Eligible drivers are generally between 16 and 21-yearsold but there are some positions available for people up to 23-years-old.
Julie currently has about 30 learner drivers registered for the program.
COVID saw volunteering levels in the community drop across the board and at one point the group saw its number of mentors drop to 11 people. In the past 12 months Julie has been able to recruit enough mentors to closely match the 30 drivers the Baw Baw program requires supervision for.
The Baw Baw L2P has recently received additional funding to support another 10 learner drivers so the group is looking to recruit new mentors. On average, learners will spend an hour with mentors a week and many mentors will do one or two hours of supervision. Some mentors, however donate up to 10 hours of their time each week.
Julie said mentors came from all walks of life from retirees offering their services to younger people who have come through the program themselves. Mentors require a working with children certificate, a police check and full driving licence but will be fully trained by L2P.
“The great thing about the program,” said Julie, “is that drivers can undertake training after business hours, so a number of our volunteers come from people who work during the day.”
For more information about the program go to: https://bawbawl2p.org or contact Julie at info@bawbawl2p.org