Skills to Empower - Driver Practice Program for Refugees

The “Skills to Empower” Driving Practice Program is a TAC funded program run by Diversitat. Diversitat have the support of Victoria Police, Vic roads, Road Safe Barwon, and Handbrake turn. “Skills to Empower” is a volunteer mentor support program aimed at assisting mature age refugees with a learners permit to gain the driving experience they require to pass the Probationary License test.

The Driving Practice program aims to build on a refugee’s knowledge of Victorian road rules and traffic regulations as well as providing them with support to access driving lessons and driving practice, enabling the learner driver to gain the recommended amount of safe driving experience.

Refugees in our region come from a diversity of cultures and experiences. In Geelong they mostly come from Sudan, Liberia and Karen (Burma). What they have in common is that they and their families have been forced to leave their homeland.

We are in need of more volunteers to help out with this much needed program. The program consists of classroom based sessions for the learner driver, followed by seven free professional lessons. When the learner driver is deemed to be a safe driver by the Professional Instructor they will then have supervised driving practice with a volunteer. Diversitat provides a 5 star safety rated car to be used for these supervised driving sessions.

I f you would like to be involved in this important community initiative please call Stella Groves at Diversitat in West Geelong on 5221 6044 or email