The Rotary Club of Timaru Charitable Trust has donated $30,000 to enable YMCA to deliver more than 70 driving instruction scholarships in the coming year.In late 2019 YMCA launched the Y•Drive Driving School offering competitively priced driving instruction with the aim of reducing barriers to employment and further education. When they realised that driving instruction was not achievable to everyone in our community the vision for a community driving scholarship was born. The Rotary Club of Timaru is delighted to be able to support this valuable community initiative.
The Y-Drive programme is designed to “open doors” to members of our community who might otherwise miss out. It is important now more than ever, that people get the best chance to progress into employment, and to be socially connected.
The scholarships are available to young people from low income families, non-working spouses/partners within such families, migrants/refugees and other at-risk adults living within our community.
No matter what circumstances they are in, e.g. getting the groceries, travelling to and from work or a child to a doctor’s appointment, the lack of a licence provides another barrier.
As this is a truly community initiative, YMCA will be working with trusted community partners who work closely with the people who will benefit the most by this opportunity and who are unable to access MSD (Ministry of Social Development) funding.