Program driven to help youth

The City of Bunbury Regional Library will host a mentoring program to give young drivers the opportunity to complete their 50 hours of supervised driving experience with volunteer mentors.

The city signed a memorandum of understanding with the Youth Driver Development Program on Friday to deliver the Regional Youth Development Education program from the library.

The RYDE initiative was developed in response to the difficulties faced by many young people in completing the hours now required for a West Australian driver’s licence.

YDDP chairman Murray Cook said there were many reasons why learner drivers had trouble accruing their hours, whether it be because they did not have access to an appropriate vehicle, or a qualified person to spend all of those hours with them in the passenger seat.

“This is a program we have been working on for nearly 12 months and it is coming to fruition at long last,” he said.

“I can’t thank the City of Bunbury enough for their cooperation.”

The RYDE initiative seeks to use technology in the areas of induction, communication, bookings, payments and risk management to deliver a sustainable program model, with the technology now accessible at the library.

Deputy Mayor Jaysen Miguel said the city was proud to support such an important initiative.

“Obtaining a driver’s licence is a rite of passage for our young people and unfortunately for some it is difficult to meet the 50 hours of driving experience required,” Cr Miguel said.

“The RYDE program is a great way to help these young people achieve this important milestone.”

Director of Corporate and Community Services Stephanie Addison-Brown said hosting the program at the library would be beneficial.

“We are always looking for partnerships with the community that add value and build capacity, particularly with our youth,” she said.

“This is a really good opportunity to help grow this program and bring people into the library which is a really valuable community hub.”

The program is expected to launch mid to late October. Visit ryde.org.au for more information.