Program aims to put refugees on the road

Jessica Benton
A NEW community program will put refugees behind the wheel in Geelong.
Multicultural services provider Diversitat’s Skills to Empower will focus on the driving skills of single mothers who have fled war-torn counties such as Sudan, Liberia and Burma.
Program coordinator Carmel Carroll said the program would teach road rules while giving participants “practical, hands-on experience”.
Police and Vicroads would run classroom-based sessions to help prepare women with learner’s permits for the road, Ms Carroll said.
Professional lessons with volunteer instructors would follow the classes “once it’s deemed safe enough”.
“The program targets single mothers because they seem to be the ones that don’t have enough support and need to get set up,” Ms Carroll said.
Most of the women had never been inside cars before arriving in Australia “let alone driven one”, she said.
“Everything is difficult if you don’t have a car, like getting a job, collecting the kids from school or grocery trips.
“The women just want to be part of the community and want to do what we all do. Being able to drive will offer them the independence they need.”
Ms Carroll hoped the program would eventually extend to other migrant communities.
She said licensed, experienced drivers interested in volunteering for the program could phone Diversitat on 5221 6044.