Matt Hewson
When Fatima Sharifi got her learner’s permit, she was thrilled – until she realised she needed to accumulate 120 hours of driving with a licensed driver.
The Matthew Flinders student, who immigrated from Pakistan with her family, suddenly realised getting her P plates could take longer than she thought.
“I felt so sad, I knew it was going to take a long time because I didn’t have anyone at my home to teach me how to drive,” Fatima said.
“We have a car, but my dad’s not fully licensed yet, he’s still on his Ps. So that why I applied for L2P.”
TAC’s L2P program matches volunteer driving mentors to learners who face extreme difficulties in getting 120 hours of driving experience, due to not having access to either a licensed supervising driver or a car.
Geelong’s L2P program has helped more than 400 young drivers in the region gain their P-plates since it began in 2009, with more than 38,000 hours of collective supervised driving taking place in that time.
Fatima, who has nearly 80 hours of driving under her belt now, said the program had been invaluable in helping her work toward getting her P-plates.
“It’s very, very helpful and important for me, because it’s necessary for me, very important to get my licence,” she said.
“I was so happy my turn came when they emailed me to say I had a place. Before that I was very worried, if my turn didn’t come I don’t know what I would have done.”
Fatima’s driving mentor, David Gallagher, said for Fatima and many others in similar situations, the L2P program was the only realistic avenue to gain their P-plates.
“A driver’s licence is one of those things that everybody needs in their lives these days,” he said.
“Most of my students have been migrants, refugees, or wards of the state or in a similar situation who don’t have access to a licensed driver or don’t have a car.
“Fatima will probably become the primary driver in her family, she’ll be the one driving mum to the shops or to Melbourne when they have to go there. It’s really important.”
Mr Gallagher, a former teacher and careers counsellor, said the program offered students far more than just a driving instructor.
“You’re with the learner for 120 hours, which could be over a period of two years, depending on how often you’re driving,” he said.
“You build up a relationship in that time. I had one boy, an apprentice tradie who said to me one day, I think my boss is ripping me off, what’s this thing called super? So we had a discussion about what superannuation was, why it’s good, and so on.
“Another student wanted me to drive them to a payday lending organisation, which rang alarm bells. So I contacted the L2P co-ordinator who organised a chat with one of the City of Greater Geelong financial advisors for young people, and they ended up sorting out an interest-free loan through St Vincents.
“There’s a very human side to the L2P program, it’s more than just teaching road skills and etiquette.”
For more information visit the VicRoads website and search for ‘L2P’.
