The L2P program has achieved its 200th driving license.
Under the state-funded program ran by Brimbank council, volunteer mentors from the community are matched up with a learner driver and use cars provided by council for driving practice.
For 12 years, learners between 16 and 23 years of age facing disadvantages have received assistance to achieve 120 hours of driving practice.
Farhia Osman, 21, got her license in July after 16 months of lessons from L2P mentor Martin Ryan.
She said the help the program gave her was “fantastic”.
“When I first started, I was always nervous when driving,” Ms Osman said.
“But this program with Martin, he always gave me motivation that I can do it.”
She came to Australia from Somalia in 2019 and is the primary carer for her six younger siblings.
Ms Osman said getting her license made her feel “on top of the moon”.
“It’s something very important to my life, when I started driving my life changed,” she said.
“I feel like i’m a more independent woman, I can go anywhere I want.
“For example, yesterday, my sister was very sick and I thought I needed to take her to the emergency and I thought, thank God I can drive.
“The best thing is to go anywhere you want without any barriers.”
Mr Ryan is a retired social worker and academic.
He said he volunteered with L2P because he wanted to help people in a hands-on way.
Ms Osman was his first student, and he said seeing her get her license was satisfying.
“The program is very well worthwhile for people like Farhia that don’t have anybody to take them out for their 120 hours,” he said.
Liam McNally
