Ruth Deschepper
L2P Mentor Driver
Tell us about your volunteer role
I volunteer for the L2P Program, which is funded by the TAC and administered by Maribyrnong City Council. I matched with a young woman who does not have access to a car or supervising driver to help her reach her 120 hours to be eligible to get her licence when she turns 18. Around once a week, we use Council’s L2P car to go for a drive. Our drives usually last for around 2 hours. We have driven on all kinds of roads, from West Footscray’s narrow back streets with heaps of parked cars, to freeway driving, complete with merging at 100 km/h, to a longer drive out to the Dandenong Ranges where she was able to get some good dirt road experience. Now we just need the weather to cooperate when we have a drive booked so she can get some rain experience!
What difference does volunteering make in your life?
I had been looking for a regular volunteer role for some time to give something back to the community. Working full time and traveling regularly for work makes it harder to find something that fits around my commitments. The L2P program is very flexible about when you do your volunteering. I enjoy the chance to go out with my learner and get satisfaction from knowing that I make a difference to her life by giving her the ability to be able to get a licence and moulding her into a safe and considerate driver. I also really enjoy driving, so this was the perfect volunteer opportunity for me.
How do you believe your volunteer work has made a positive impact on the Maribyrnong community?
For young people who don’t have someone who can give them supervised driving time, getting a licence is prohibitively expensive. I am happy that I can contribute to a program that opens that opportunity up for those who would otherwise miss out. In addition, I consider myself a competent and safe driver and I use my time mentoring to instil good habits into my learner so that when she is set loose on her red Ps, she will also be a good and safe driver, thereby benefiting the Maribyrnong community.
In line with this year’s NVW theme of "Connecting Communities”, how does your volunteering help foster a sense of connection, both for you and others?
Since volunteering, I have had the opportunity to meet a diverse group of locals who I would not have met otherwise. The other volunteers and I share the drive to help local young people in our community. The administrator of the program organises meet-ups for us every so often and we communicate regularly on our WhatsApp group. I also enjoy the chance to spend time with my learner and hear about her life. I appreciate the chance to connect with those who I wouldn’t have met otherwise.
More information
To find out more information about the L2P program and how you can become a Mentor Driver, visit Council's Phoenix Youth Hub page.