Youthsafe Free Driving Help
A program offering free support to people wanting to learn to drive or to regain their licence because of unpaid fines or traffic offences is being offered to Hawkesbury residents.
Youthsafe has been a Driver Licensing Access Program (DLAP) provider on behalf of Transport NSW in the Hawkesbury Local Government area for the past two years and has funding to help up to 100 people get on the road this year.
The Transport for NSW initiative was set up to assist people with geographical, financial or other disadvantage and offers eligible candidates
• Support to successfully undertake the Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) – the first stage of the licensing process
• Reimbursement of both the DKT fee ($52) and the Learner Licence fee ($28
• Up to $150 worth of professional driving lessons (paid direct by Youthsafe to the driving school/instructor)
CEO of Youthsafe Warren Johnson said: “Youthsafe is delighted to be able to offer this support for people who may otherwise be denied the opportunity.
“A licence allows the development of a key adult capability. It is a passport to greater personal independence and provides access to many opportunities including further education, sustainable employment, civic participation and family and community events.”
Richmond resident, 19-year-old Karla (pictured) has just completed the program and is now a happy driver.
“I could not afford to pay for my licence and driving expenses. Financial assistance from Youthsafe has allowed me to become more independent,” she said.
Youthsafe can support people of any age, provided they live in the Hawkesbury LGA. It also provides the program for eligible residents living in the Local Government areas of Hornsby; Ku-ring-gai; Ryde; Cumberland and Campbelltown.
Over the last two years around 60 people have participated. For more information about Youthsafe and DLAP call the Youthsafe Education Coordinator on (02) 9817 7847, or email [email protected] or visit the website visit https://youthsafe.org/driverlicensing-access-program-dlap/
Warren Johnson from Youthsafe said: “As a charity we are committed to preventing accidental serious injuries of young people. “We provide a range of programs to young people and the adults of influence in their lives in relation to their use of roads, participation in the workplace and sports. Check out our website to find out how we can help you and your community” www.youthsafe.org
Youthsafe was founded just over 40 years by Associate Professor John Yeo in 1982 as the ground-breaking, world first ‘Awareness and Prevention Program’.
It was initially run out of a small office in the Spinal Injuries Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital, and later registered as Spinesafe which focussed on school-aged children and young people to demonstrate how easily a spinal cord injury can occur, the devastating impacts and how it can be prevented.
In 1999 the organisation adopted the name Youthsafe recognising that young people were more at risk of serious unintentional injury than any other age group and runs programs with an expanded focus on road use, school-to-work transitions, team sports and socialising in private and public venues.
