Driver-mentor program takes pressure off parents

Supervising drivers face an enormous task helping learners achieve the 120 driving hours required to take their provisional licence test.

Imagine the challenge of having twins who are learning to drive at the same time!

For 17-year-old sisters Janae and Olivia, learning to drive was their ticket to independence: being able to get themselves to their sporting commitments and work in West Wyalong, some 40km away.

On-Country Pathways’ Driver-Mentor Katrina Goolagong was happy to help the twins finalise their supervised driving hours.

Janae said: “Learning with Katrina was great as she was easy to have a chat to and would help me learn new along things along the way. She was really useful when I had to change a tyre because there were a few things I struggled with.”

For parents Mellisa and Wade, the free program provided a boost to the supervised driving hours they were clocking up with their children.

Melissa said: “It was hard, but we managed. Luckily, we live 40km from town so one would drive in and the other would drive home.”

“We are thankful there was a program to help with getting the hours up and it was a reliable program.”

She added: “It takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders knowing I can rely on them to drive safely to get to work or sport.”

There’s more about our free Driver-Mentor Program here.