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 driver's 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 5-week programme or a 3 or 4-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 Course Options:

Full Course: 5-week programme - 4 x 1.5-hour teaching sessions and 1 x 6-hour testing session.

Express Course - Theory and Revision: 4-week programme - 4 x 1.5-hour teaching sessions, including a revision test online.

Express Course - Theory Only: 3-week programme - 3 x 1.5-hour teaching sessions.

Note: The Learner Licence Programme also requires commitment to learning outside of our sessions. Our staff provide participants with all the information they will need to use their own time to solidify and remember what they learn in our sessions. Participants are required to attend a minimum of 3 teaching sessions to sit the Learner License Test.

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 on either a 5-week or a 3 to 4-week ‘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 that 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. Testing sessions (Full Course Only) involve organising paperwork for AA/NZTA and booking participants in for their Learner License test with the portable testing unit on-site, and then ensuring the young person is supported during their test. Staff check participant progress and learning by using in-house online quizzes to identify areas of need for individuals in the group. There is also regular communication using online email groups and support spaces that are easy for young people to access.