A new program at Beaudesert State High School is helping young drivers get on the road.
Industry Liaison Officer, Mel Frazer described the school’s driver buddy program as life changing for students.
“I organise work experience, traineeships and apprenticeships and even though we get a lot of opportunities the hurdle we are coming across is that students don’t have licences,” said Ms Frazer.
“A student came in the other day, she lives in town, her parents work in town and their biggest drive is ten minutes – no one has time to take her out.”
Young drivers need to have 30 hours experience before they can start in the driver buddy program, which Ms Frazer says is for safety and also to ensure the program doesn’t take away from local driving schools.
The automatic vehicle was donated to the school by Hinterland Toyota and all of the licenced drivers are currently Beaudesert State High School staff members using their own time to help the students to gain their compulsory 100 hours.
“This driver buddy program will be life changing for some of our students and I am just over the moon that doing what I tell my students to do has paid off – ‘just ask the question, all they can say is no’.”
President of Beaudesert’s Youth and Community Centre (YACC), John Powell said the organisation will donate $1,000 to pay for fuel for the vehicle.
Year 11 student Summer Marshall was the first student to use the car, with Year 11 Coordinator Danielle Tecarr the licenced driver accompanying her.
Summer had reached 80 hours the night before and said the buddy program would help reach her 100 hours.
“It helps a lot, I got to do the estates and drive in a different area,” she said.
Ms Frazer said the program will break the cycle in families where parents don’t drive and students do not have access to a car.
“There are heaps of employment opportunities at the moment, kids can basically say ‘I want to be this’ and go and do it.”
“The licence comes first then if they get a job they can save for a car.”
