Getting a driver's licence is no longer a right, it is a privilege for those who have the resources and support available to learn, practice and then pass their way through the system.
A community owned and operated social enterprise Puketapapa Community Driving School (PCDS) has taken the initiative to cater its services to the ethnic migrants who struggle to learn driving in New Zealand. The community enterprise has the goal of being Auckland’s driving school of choice.
Over 50 per cent of the people who live in the Wesley-Roskill area were born outside of NZ, and with over 150 different ethnicities, the diversity is incredible, and a good percentage of the migrant find it hard to get the resources and support they need to gain their licence, which increases their safety, confidence, and chances of getting a job’ explains Honey Rasalan, manager of Migrant Action Trust.
The enterprise has encouraged the community members to come and join the driving school and learn the art of driving. The advantage that community has that the driving mentors at the centres are professional drivers and from different ethnic backgrounds so learning for them becomes easier and more comfortable.
“One of the major barriers that new ethnic migrants face in learning driving is language that is why this community initiative has reined in volunteers, who are professional drivers and can speak different languages,” community worker and driving instructor at the centre Ms Shanti who hails from Sri Lanka told The Indian Weekender.
“I can speak in three languages, English, Tamil and Sinhalese and help learners with language difficulty,” Ms Shanti added.
All of the profit from PCDS will be used to support members of our community who are facing barriers in gaining their licence; referrals will come through trusted local organisations.
The latest statistics from the NZ Transport Agency show that almost half of New Zealanders sitting restricted driver licences are failing, due primarily to a lack of guided practice behind the wheel.
“At PCDS, we offer quality and affordable driving lessons to help people pass their learner, restricted and full licence tests. With qualified instructors, practice cars, driving mentors and language support, we have everything you need to gain your licence.
We provide affordable driver training and offer subsidised support for young people, former refugees and ethnic women to gain independence and confidence which increases their chances of achieving their goals such as getting a job,” Manawa Udy of The PETER Collective explains.
Nursanah Tian, a migrant from Indonesia, is excited to start practising her driving very soon through PCDS. For Nursanah, it’s important to get a driver licence because many employers give preference to someone with a full licence.
PCDS has been developed by the PETER Collective, a group of local organisations working together to improve education, training and employment outcomes in Puketapapa. Migrant Action Trust is managing the school itself with delivery partners Rule Education Trust, Umma Trust and the Wesley Community Centre.
PCDS will be launched on Tuesday, December 5. Learner drivers, driver mentors and supporters of The PETER Collective including Harry Doig, members of the Puketapapa Local Board will be presented for the inauguration of PCDS.
The ribbon cutting of the practice car will also be done at the public launch of PCDS on Market Day, Tuesday, December at 11 a.m. at Roskill Youth Zone, 740 Sandringham Road Extn, Mt Roskill.
The school will be located inside Wesley Community Centre and use an online booking system - www.pcds.org.nz. The staff is available from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. from Monday-Friday at the Wesley CC Foyer from Monday, November 27. The team is also available outside these hours through email and Facebook.