Ashburton College is looking for volunteer drivers to sit alongside students working towards their restricted driver’s licence.

The volunteers, who must hold a full licence, are being asked to give two hours a week to help senior students move from being learner drivers to restricted drivers, and principal Ross Preece says it will be life-changing for many.

“There is a car supplied so the only thing we are asking for is time, because we know that being able to drive legally helps our students get jobs and become good members of our community.”

The college has funding from the Ministry for Social Development to pilot a driving programme that will be rolled out around New Zealand if it is successful. All senior students who have held their learner licence for five months can apply to do the 12-week programme – they will be matched with a mentor who will drive with them twice a week until they are ready to sit their restricted licence.

Salvation Army is delivering the course and instructor Heather Daly will ride along once a month to monitor the young driver’s progress. She will undertake a mock test before the learner driver signs up for the restricted test.

Mr Preece said young people needed to practise driving after they get their learner licence, but it was hard if there was no access to a vehicle, if there was no fully-licensed driver available to sit along them, or if household funds could not stretch to cover the cost of petrol for practice drives, or the cost of the test itself.

“We are finding that the six mentor drivers we have so far have formed quite a bond with their students.

“The sad thing is that we have seven other students wanting to do their restricted but no volunteers to ride with them. We’re hoping retired folk or businesses keen for their staff to do some community work might step up.”

Volunteers must be over the age of 20 and have held a full licence for two years. They will need to attend a short session with the Salvation Army driving instructor to ensure they know what is expected.

The car, which is stored at the college, will be available from 7.30am until 7.30pm in the summer, and from 9am until 6pm in the winter.

Mr Preece said the college was hoping to start the new school year with a decent number of both learner drivers and mentor drivers.

“Potentially we will have 260 students in Year 12 and to be able to equip them with a restricted licence, or help them move from a restricted to a full licence, would be a huge boost to their chances of getting a job.

“Mid Canterbury was chosen to pilot the programme as we have no public transport, so it is even more important for our young people to be able to drive safely.”

Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown supports the driver programme and said having a driver’s licence was important and also helped remove a barrier to employment.

“I remember learning to drive when I was a teenager and then teaching my own children, and it is a skill you need to practise. Having your restricted licence is now also something that many employers look for.

"There are no barriers now to getting your licence as they have been removed, so I encourage all students to take up the offer.”

People wanting to help students should get in touch with Anne Sheehan, in the college office by phoning 03 308 4193.