By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Susan Anderson has logged about 700 hours behind the wheel as a learner driver mentor.
As a volunteer with the Jesuit Social Services’ L2P program, she’s taught four young drivers including a set of two sisters for nearly their whole 120-hour journey to a license.
Ms Anderson enjoys every two-hour session. It’s a chance to indulge her keen sense of humour and make a difference, she says.
“I’m lucky – it gets me out of doing housework,” she laughs.
The Victorian Government and TAC recently announced a four-year extension of the L2P program.
It provides access to cars and tutors for disadvantaged learner drivers to get supervised driving experience.
In the past 10 years, more than 5000 drivers in the program have attained their P-plates.
In the Jesuit program in City of Greater Dandenong, many have had contact with child protection or youth justice systems.
Ms Anderson, co-winner of the 2019 Greater Dandenong Volunteer of the Year, says often her students don’t otherwise have access to a car or a fully-licensed family member to supervise them.
“They’re really lovely girls and I just really enjoy doing it.
“I enjoy driving. I’ve always appreciated my grandparents taking me out to learn to drive.”
She gets a kick of her students gaining independence and confidence.
As part of the lessons, Ms Anderson makes sure she instils the right driving attitude, such as keeping a safe distance behind cars.
“I want them not just to clock up the hours but to be really safe drivers.”
As a driver herself, Ms Anderson says she’s quite “old school” – preferring not to rely on reversing cameras.
“These gadgets can make you lazy. I think you must check in the mirrors and over your shoulder as well.”
Her other tips are to not be peer-pressured into driving too late at night. Driving while sleep-deprived is akin to driving drunk.
More volunteers are needed in the community, including the L2P, she says.
“It’s not just the matter of making someone a safe driver, it tends to get people out of their own home and mixing with people.
“The girls I work with have enhanced my life, enlightened me about their families, their religion, their culture.
“I’ve been really blessed.”
