The Tamworth Aboriginal Driver Training pilot project is a culturally appropriate initiative designed to address the barriers Aboriginal people face in obtaining their driver’s licence and accessing road safety education.
Over two years, the program will support up to 100 Aboriginal participants - including senior school students, unemployed youth, young mothers and adults - through professional driving lessons and a supported learning environment that builds confidence and safe driving skills. The program aims to improve independence, employment opportunities and community participation by increasing access to licensed driving.
Delivered alongside complementary youth support programs within the LALC, participants will also benefit from mentoring, career pathway support, cultural programs, brokerage assistance and referral services.
On a day-to-day basis, participants work alongside our qualified driving instructor and LALC staff to build their driving hours, prepare for licence testing and develop confidence behind the wheel in a safe and supportive environment. The program also provides assistance with navigating licensing requirements, accessing identification and completing logbooks, while connecting participants to mentoring and broader wellbeing supports where needed.
Through its close links with other LALC youth and community programs, participants are encouraged to strengthen their independence, pursue employment or education opportunities and stay connected to culture and community throughout their journey.
In its first year, the program supported 67 young people to achieve 574 log book hours via professional driving lessons, and a further 587 log book hours via mentoring through the LALC. 40 young people have been supported to get their L's, 29 to achieve their Hazard Perceptions Test and 16 to gain their P's to date.
Six road safety workshops have been delivered including safe driving practices, and basic car maintenance, as well as facilitating access for students enrolled in the program to the annual Young Driver’s Expo run by Tamworth Regional Council, and other wrap around supports delivered to 65 of the 67 young people in the program.
Our team is here to answer questions, take referrals, and help you find the right program. You can self-refer to the driver training program.
