Youth Inspire - Road Ready Rangatahi

Youth Inspire 'Road Ready Rangatahi' were the proud winners of the Driving Change Network 2023 Outstanding Youth Programme award.  

Youth Inspire works with rangatahi (aged 16-25) in the Hutt Valley to support into employment, education, and training opportunities. They work with hundreds of local business partners to take students for work experience and often subsequently as employees. Driving School Manager Bex Howells says “We don’t just want to support our students to get ‘a job’. We want them to work in an environment where they can learn new skills, gain qualifications, and enjoy sustainable long-term employment”. 

  The driving school sits alongside the employment programme, as we all know that having a licence is a game changer. It increases their employment opportunities, freedom, independence, and earning potential. This is often what motivates them – especially those who need a licence to go into the trades, and drive work vehicles. Youth Inspires priority is to make sure they are safe on the roads in any vehicle they are licenced to drive. There is a strong emphasis on teaching safe, responsive driving attitudes and our goal is to get rangatahi driving both safely and legally. 

  Road Ready Rangatahi driving school relies heavily on the generosity of their volunteer mentors who teach the rangatahi to drive. They also part of an extensive network in the community – rangatahi, whānau, Police, schools, community providers - who work together to instill good driving habits and keep everyone safe on the roads.