Getting your driver’s licence is a milestone for many people but having access to this opportunity can be difficult.
The free Braking the Cycle Program offered by the PCYC Roma is helping those with limited access to a car and accumulating their logbook hours by offering supervised mentor lessons.
“Our goal is to get to those people who struggle to access opportunities and employment.
“Having your licence means not suffering from heatstroke when getting groceries in the summer, it means being able to take yourself or your child to the doctors or school.
“It means having practical access to necessities in a place that doesn’t have public transport,” said Lindsay Houston, Braking the Cycle Program Coordinator.
PCYC Braking the Cycle Program is a learner driver mentoring program that empowers people currently facing barriers, to undertake the mandatory 100 hours of supervised driving required to obtain their licence.
It aims to create safer drivers and increases social inclusion and workforce participation of disadvantaged at-risk people through mentoring and education.
“If you’re in the program, you are supplied with an automatic car that is covered by insurance to drive and perform your test in.”
Currently, there are 40 people enrolled in the program and at the end of the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns, it was unsure if Roma Braking the Cycle was going to reopen.
“We proved we are a viable asset for the community by having a 400% increase in our KPI seeing 12 drivers’ licences being obtained in 2021,” Lindsay said.
Lindsay is happy to share there have been no test fails in the two years he has been coordinator.
The outcomes of the program include improved safe driving behaviours, improved driving skills that reduce traffic crashes, improved access to employment and education, reduced risk of social inclusion and positive connections between participants and mentors.
The program is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this August and is sponsored by Motor Accident Insurance Commission and the Queensland Government’s Transport and Main Roads department.
Lindsay encourages people to enrol in the program by heading down to PCYC Roma and getting the participation package to book in their first mentor lesson.
