Woodridge and Mabel Park high schools will have two new cars to help students learning to drive.
Multicultural community leader, Access Community Services, donated the cars to support the education, life skills and employment prospects of young people.
The cars were formerly used in Access’s driving school and will now be used by Woodridge State High School and Mabel Park State High School to support young people with learning to drive.
The schools will utilise the cars for a new community initiative that will support young drivers. Called “Turning Point”, it will help students gain the supervised driving hours required to gain their provisional licence.
Member for Woodridge Cameron Dick and Access Community Services CEO Gail Kerr OAM, attended the announcement of the program.
Mr Dick donated $2000 to Woodridge State High School P&C Association for the community initiative.
“We know how important having a driver’s licence can be for young people in our community,” he said.
“Qualifying to drive can mean the opportunity to gain a job, to pursue further education and to participate in social activities that they may not otherwise be able to access.
“Young people in our community can face significant barriers to completing the required 100 hours of supervised driving and that is why I am happy to support this program with a donation of $2000 towards the driving program.”
Ms Ker said: “Access has always been about collaborating with the local community and providing resources to change people’s lives. With 60% of the Logan population under 30 it is important that we support the young people in our community, especially as we emerge from COVID-19.
“Woodridge High has been a good friend and neighbour of Access for a long time. It is a very multicultural school, attended by a large number of our youth clients.
“Having a licence is important for kids with a culturally and linguistically diverse background, kids who often don’t have parents who drive. Having a licence will help remove barriers to their physical, economic and social wellbeing.
“It opens more choices, with greater freedom and independence and opportunities for employment.”
Woodridge State High School is launching this initiative for students from the beginning of Term 3, with plans to extend the initiative to the wider community which will create further opportunities for greater economic advancement.
Access is conducting a community call out to engage more volunteers to accompany students in local driving initiatives including Turning Point and Braking the Cycle (PCYC’s driving program).
