Recently, Road Safety Commission Corporate Relations Manager Stacey Coppack attended the Kent Street Clontarf Academy End of Year Awards.
At the ceremony Stacey presented a number of boys with Driving Awards for obtaining their P or L plates.
“It was wonderful to hear through the course of the night how the students with their driver’s licence pick up their friends in the morning for school,” Ms Coppack said.
“This car pooling is not only a great opportunity for the boys to grow their friendships but also boosts school attendance rates. A licence plays such an important role in allowing these impressive young men to pursue employment, education and sporting opportunities. They should all be very proud of their achievements and I hope to see them challenge themselves and each other to make every journey safe.”
Obtaining a driver’s licence is a rite of passage, but more importantly it breaks down barriers to employment and higher education opportunities. While a licence is not a requirement to get a job, not having one can severely limit the opportunities available - especially if you live in the regions.
This is just one of the reasons why the Road Safety Commission has been partnering with the Clontarf Foundation to make it possible for more young Aboriginal men to obtain their licence.
The program is called the L-2-P Gap for Young Aboriginal Men in Western Australia (Pathways 2 Employment) Program, and up to the end of the third quarter of 2023, 290 young men obtained their learners permit and 70 got their driver's licence via the program. In addition, our funding meant the young men also received training on the importance of driving safely.
Parents polled about the program all agreed that without the program their child would probably not have his licence. All parents also said they believed their child now understands why it is so important to drive safely and not participate in risky driving behaviour.
The total investment over the life of the project partnership from 1 June 2021 to 30 June 2025 is $555,000.
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