Creating Pathways to Independence Through the Hepburn L2P Program

For many young people, getting a driver's licence is a milestone that opens the door to employment, education and greater independence. But for young people living in rural communities across Hepburn Shire, reaching the required 120 hours of supervised driving can be one of the biggest barriers they face.

The Ballarat Foundation manages the TAC L2P Program across Hepburn Shire, connecting eligible young people with volunteer mentors who help them gain the supervised driving experience needed to achieve their driver's licence. For many learners, the program provides more than driving practice. It creates opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

Limited public transport, long travel distances and a lack of access to a supervising driver can make obtaining a licence feel impossible. Through the Hepburn L2P Program, the Ballarat Foundation works alongside volunteer mentors to provide flexible, individualised support that helps young people overcome these barriers and move towards greater independence.

Below: Norma, Jim and Liz from the Daylesford Foundation.

Every learner's journey is different

No two learners have the same circumstances, which is why flexibility is at the heart of the Hepburn L2P Program.

For one young woman from Allendale, a lack of public transport meant getting driving practice was almost impossible. Her volunteer mentor regularly travelled from Trentham to meet with her and even brought her to Ballarat for driving sessions. Along the way, she gained valuable experience driving through Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong while building the skills and confidence needed to become a safe driver.

Another learner, who moved to a remote part of Hepburn Shire, found driving particularly daunting. With the patience and reassurance of her volunteer mentor, she has gradually overcome much of her anxiety and is now building the confidence to work towards obtaining her driver's licence.

Finding solutions together

Supporting young people often requires more than simply organising a driving lesson.

One learner lives in Ballan, attends school in Kyneton and travels to Ballarat each week for TAFE. Rather than allowing the distance and competing commitments to become barriers, the Ballarat Foundation's L2P team worked with the learner and volunteer mentor to develop a solution around her weekly TAFE schedule. She now gains valuable driving experience while continuing her education, with her mentor generously supporting the arrangement.

A similar approach is supporting another learner from Gordon, who balances school with study at Federation University. By coordinating driving sessions around his education commitments, the program has enabled him to gain valuable experience driving a manual vehicle, an opportunity that would otherwise have been difficult to access.

These stories demonstrate that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The program succeeds because it works with each learner's individual circumstances, finding practical solutions that help keep them on the road towards their licence.

More than learning to drive

The Ballarat Foundation's Hepburn L2P Program is about much more than completing 120 hours behind the wheel.

It is about removing barriers, creating opportunities and connecting young people with volunteers who believe in their potential. Whether the challenge is distance, limited public transport, anxiety or competing commitments, the generosity of volunteer mentors and the flexibility of the program are helping make independence possible.

Every hour of driving represents more than practice. It represents confidence, connection, opportunity and a step closer to independence.