L2P expansion increases need for volunteer mentors

By Murray Silby

Mar 30, 2023

**Vital role:** L2P volunteer mentor Alan Arthur is helping people who do not have access to a licensed driver get their required hours up in order to attain a full driver’s licence. Photo by Murray Silby

The TAC L2P Program has been expanded to the Greater Shepparton Secondary College, providing a further 20 young learner drivers with access to volunteer mentors.

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The L2P program gives young people who do not have access to a vehicle or supervising driver the opportunity to obtain the minimum 120 hours’ driving practice they need to gain their P plates.

It matches eligible young Victorian learner drivers between the ages of 16 and 21 years (and in some circumstances, up to 23 years) with a qualified instructor and sponsored car.

More than 12,000 hours have already been clocked up through the Shepparton L2P program, supervising more than 350 local learner drivers since starting 12 years ago and is now set to help even more youth with the expansion to the secondary college.

The free program is funded by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, but Berry Street senior L2P co-ordinator Jenni Bowles said the program was always looking for more volunteer mentors.

“Always, always need more volunteers,” Mrs Bowles said.

“Because not only do we do GSCC, but we do quite a few other schools across Greater Shepparton and Moira shires, as well as individuals that are outside of the schools.

“So yes, definitely more mentors is always something that we need.”

Already contributing is Alan Arthur, who said he had been volunteering for a year, working with four students over half a day.

“I’m not working full time at the moment so I want to take advantage of that and do some of the things that I couldn’t do while I was working,” he said.

“So normally in that sort of half-day session I would do four students, so they were each back-to-back on that session.

“We’re not driving instructors so we’re not qualified. We’re not trying to be, we’re really just trying to replicate people who have the benefits of a family and cars or the role that a parent might normally take where they sit in the passenger seat and allow them to get their hours up.”

Mr Arthur said the volunteer role was a rewarding experience, knowing his contribution was helping people who otherwise might not be able achieve a milestone that can help them in so many aspects of their lives.

“Very much so. Yes, very much. I mean, 120 hours is quite daunting,” he said.

“If you did an hour a week, that’s a long time to get to be able to do your test and we’ve got a pretty diverse community here and people in all sorts of different family situations, so it’s nice to be able to help.”