Community Driver Mentor

We provide access to restricted & full licence driver programmes, that support learner and restricted licenced individuals with barriers to gaining practice, confidence, a vehicle, and caring support to become competent, confident, skilful, and safe drivers to pass the restricted and or full drivers’ test. All our learner license trainees come with some driving experience before being paired with a volunteer mentor. When you volunteer, we support you with training, resources, suitable times, recognition, and professional instructor coordination, to be paired with an individual needing twice-weekly practice in one of our vehicles. You as our volunteer, known as a community driver mentor, will help bring skills, confidence, and better road citizenship to our community through mentoring one-to-one with your paired learner licenced driver for the duration of a programme (12 weeks).

From our successful participant drivers: "Hey…. I just wanted to thank you again for the confidence I got from the driving help (my mentor), it has been huge. I just booked my full!!! Onwards and upwards!'"- CDMP trainee Kim "This is the first time in my life I have started something, continued, and finished.....what a great feeling!" - CDMP trainee Stevie "We used to walk or catch a ride and always be late or wet if it was raining. Now I can take my children to pre-school if it's raining. I am so grateful." - successful 'mum' participant on CDMP. Testimonies from our mentors: "After being a mentor, this is my second time round; I can unequivocally say that it makes a difference. The driver becomes better informed and better skilled on the road. We are making safer drivers." Denis - mentor “I have really enjoyed being a mentor for Nora, she is a gorgeous girl, who listens so well and takes everything on board. She is respectful and always so polite and grateful of me giving up my time. It has definitely made me more aware of my own driving!“ Gabby - mentor "I was really concerned I didn't have the skills to teach (coach) in the car and was nervous. The support we received and the feeling of seeing my driver pass was beyond anything I expected. Highly recommend to anyone to give mentoring a try." Chris - mentor

As a community driver mentor, volunteer, all you need to come with is patience, a love to help others, and a minimum of two years of full driver's licence, and complete a police check. We fill in the rest through our supportive framework and training for every volunteer. The Salvation Army Driver Programmes have been operating the community mentor programme since 2014, the first in the South Island. Come and join our amazing team of mentors!