LEARNER LICENCE

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

Our teams have delivered ‘LLP’ to school students, young adults, community groups and young people from all walks of life. 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.

Our programme is supported by the Waka Kotahi Community Road Safety Fund.

Learn to drive. 

Funded options (available for 16–24-year-old learners in Auckland, Taupō, Upper Hutt and Christchurch):

Term-Time/Community Course: 5-week programme, involves 4 x 1.5-hour learning sessions and 1 x 6-hour testing session. Includes test fee. Available to schools and through our Hubs.

Holiday Programme: A 4-day whistle-stop journey to the test for those who feel closer to being ready and have their ID sorted. Includes test fee. Available through our Hubs.


Additional options (may incur a charge if funding options are not available):

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

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 provides 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 Licence 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 aims to make this rite-of-passage a positive memory. Youthtown staff create a strong group bond and learning environment.

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 onto 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 discussing organ donation and other licence details with whānau, and how to stay motivated in the sometimes-distracting environment of the test centre.

For our programmes in Auckland, Upper Hutt and Christchurch, we also offer testing either in-school or at our Youthtown Hubs. This is an incredible way to take your test, lower stress, surrounded by support in a quieter, more focused environment, with reader/writer and support person options available.

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 a journey through the NZ Road Code. Everything is designed to mimic and prepare for the final learner 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 NZ Road Code to life, and our own Youthtown vans are a learning resource, alongside some very entertaining toy cars. Every session involves a collection of linked themes that together cover the entire NZ Road Code, leaving time for questions and deeper exploration of topics or concepts. We use the Waka Kotahi Drive resources alongside our own homegrown learning materials.

Testing sessions involve organising paperwork for AA/NZTA and booking participants in for their Learner Licence test with the portable testing unit on-site (where available), 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.