The North West Driver Mentor Program was launched in December 2023 as a partnership between West North West Working (WNWW) and Youth, Family and Community Connections (YFCC). The pilot program was established to address one of the main barriers preventing young people on Tasmania’s North West Coast from accessing employment and training opportunities.
The inability to obtain a driver’s licence had long been recognised as a significant barrier for young people seeking work, particularly in rural and remote communities. A survey conducted by WNWW confirmed that 76% of participants experienced barriers to obtaining their licence, including limited access to a suitable vehicle, difficulty finding a supervising driver to help complete the required 80 hours of supervised driving, and the costs associated with driving lessons and licence testing.
The North West Driver Mentor Program provided dedicated driver mentors based across the region whose role was to support eligible young people to complete their compulsory supervised driving hours. Rather than providing driving instruction, the program offered access to a vehicle and a supervising driver through mentored driving sessions, complementing the services already provided by accredited driving instructors.
Eligible participants were young people aged 16–24 who were existing or new clients of WNWW or YFCC and were seeking employment. Alongside driver mentoring, participants also received employability support from YFCC and WNWW staff.
Participants were required to have completed at least two paid driving lessons with a certified driving instructor before accessing mentor sessions. For those unable to afford these lessons, the program funded the required instruction.
The program was funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF), an independent Fund that supports and strengthens Tasmanian communities by distributing funds to those communities, and the Tasmanian Government through Jobs Tasmania.
The North West Driver Mentor Program is currently on hold following the conclusion of its funded period.
YFCC is actively investigating further funding opportunities and hopes to recommence the program in the near future. While no new participants are currently being accepted, a strategy has been implemented to continue supporting existing participants who have not yet completed their required 80 hours of supervised driving.
People interested in participating when the program resumes are encouraged to complete the Expression of Interest form available on the program page on the YFCC website. Registering interest continues to demonstrate the demand for the program and the ongoing need within the community, strengthening future funding applications.
Updates regarding future funding and the resumption of the program will be shared on the YFCC Facebook page.
