General News
11 January, 2025
Bank gives keys to learner confidence
By RUBY HYLAND THREE young women have been given the key to driving confidence by Inglewood Community Bank. For learner drivers living in rural areas, the opportunity to practise driving in a city can be hard to come by and the bank’s driver...
By RUBY HYLAND
THREE young women have been given the key to driving confidence by Inglewood Community Bank.
For learner drivers living in rural areas, the opportunity to practise driving in a city can be hard to come by and the bank’s driver education program is working to change that.
Learners can access nine free hours of driving lessons with an experienced instructor in Bendigo to build their skills on the road.
Neve Nisbet, Abi Johns and Elyshia Isaac were three recent participants in the bank’s program.
All have now graduated from their Ls to their Ps with help from their instructor, Travis Parker from Drive Well Driver Education and the community bank.
Neve began lessons in January before going for her licence in April. Living in Wedderburn and driving big four-wheel drives was a very different experience to the time she spent with Travis, behind the wheel of a smaller car in a busy city, but this time was fantastic for her.
“I probably wouldn’t have had as many lessons without the program. I’d recommend it to every-one, nine free hours of driving lessons is amazing and so helpful,” said Neve.
Neve received her manual driver’s licence in April. Weekly lessons in the lead up to the test helped her build confidence and knowledge on the road.
Crucial to her, was the flexibility offered by Travis which allowed her to fit her lessons in around her family’s schedule. If she was unable to attend a lesson, she was able to do a two-hour lesson the following week to stay on track.
Abi had already completed her logbook of practice hours but hadn’t driven much on city roads.
The opportunity to have nine free lessons with Travis was the perfect way to get that experience and she was able to complete her lessons over the summer holidays which worked well with her schedule.
“It was really good to practise driving in a busy city and definitely made me feel more confident,” Abi said, the lessons having given her an opportunity to put her theoretical knowledge into practice.
Travis’ expertise supported Abi in passing her driving test. She is now driving safely and confidently on her Ps.
Elyshia attends TAFE in Bendigo one day a week, and the chance to have driving lessons after classes was perfect for her.
“Travis was so helpful, any questions I had he explained really clearly and anything he thought I could improve on we stopped and discussed,” said Elyshia.
This support from Travis helped build her confidence alongside her skills and she enjoyed the experience of driving in a city.
Elyshia completed her driving test with Travis in the car she had been practising in, which made her feel more comfortable and slightly less nervous about the test. All went well for her, and she is now confidently driving solo on her Ps.
Inglewood Community Bank has been running this program for the past 17 years, Neve, Abi and Elyshia were some of this year’s participants and found it was a valuable experience for them and said they would recommend everyone eligible takes advantage of the offer.
“We sponsor this program to give country kids access they normally wouldn’t have.” Said Linda Younghusband, chairman of the board.
“It gives them the opportunity to drive in traffic conditions they wouldn’t experience generally.”
As well as helping young people, the program also relieves stress for parents as they don’t have to be the ones to teach their children in an unfamiliar city,
“It’s one of the first programs we started at the community bank and it’s great for both parents and kids.” Linda said.