LEARNER LICENCE

The Learner Licence Programme was developed by our Christchurch team and has been running since 2013. It's a hugely popular, fun junction where youth development and drivers education meet.

Our youth team has delivered ‘LLP’ to school students, young adults, community groups and young people navigating the youth justice system. Run as either a 6-week programme or 2/3-session intensive ‘Express’ workshop, we have supported hundreds of young people to get their first true taste of independence, with a pass rate often higher than the national average for 16-18 year-olds.

Learn to drive. 

Programme Summary

6-Week Course: 6 x 1.5-hour sessions (4 teaching, 1 booking, 1 testing)

Express Course: 3 x 2-hour sessions (or 2 x 3 hour sessions as desired) – no testing, theory only – good option for schools or community groups who would prefer to manage this themselves.

Note: The Learner Licence Programme also requires commitment to learning outside of our sessions. Our staff provide participants with all the information, the participants will need to use their own time to solidify and remember what they learn in our sessions.

Why Learner Licence? 

Youthtown staff have the ability to take something that seems quite scary and make it a fun experience! Fusing youth development approaches with driver education, Youthtown’s team aim to make this rite-of-passage a positive memory. Navigating ID (particularly if you have come to New Zealand from another country) can be hard, and for some of our learners it is the first time they have been entered on to a system other than their family doctors or dentists. They are also guided through bigger ideas such as how their actions affect others, the topic of organ donation, and how to stay motivated in the sometimes-distracting environment of the test centre. For those who ‘haven’t yet passed’, we offer support and guidance about preparing for a repeat test.

What is involved?

Through a carefully constructed programme, young people are taken in either 6 weeks, or 3 weeks (‘Express’ route) through the NZ Road Code. Everything is designed to mimic and prepare for the final learner’s licence test, to enable young people to feel familiar with the setup and feel of things. Teaching sessions involve engaging games and activities that bring the content of the Road Code to life, and our own Youthtown vans are a learning resource, alongside some very entertaining toy cars and a race track. Every session involves a collection of linked themes which together cover the entire Road Code, leaving time for questions and deeper exploration of topics or concepts. Youthtown staff create a strong group bond and learning environment. Test centre sessions (6-week course only) involve taking organised paperwork to the AA/NZTA and booking participants in for their test, and then ensuring the young person is supported to their test at the allotted time. Staff check participant progress and learning by using in-house online quizzes to identify areas of need for individuals of the group. There is also regular communication using online email groups and support spaces that are easy for young people to access.