Authorised Officer (AO) Stacey Collings is a people person, which helps in her role with the Community Driver Mentor Programme.
A Christchurch primary school teacher for eight years, Stacey is also well under way with the recruitment process to become a police officer and has been in her AO role for 14 months.
“Because I’ve been a teacher and am quite a patient person, my sergeant at the time put my name forward for the programme,” says Stacey.
An initial two-hour workshop covered the main issues today’s drivers have to contend with.
A booklet outlines the different stages and focus areas relative to a learner’s skill-level and progression, including skills such as negotiating roundabouts, lane-changing and parallel parking.
Alongside her duties in the Custody Suite at Te Omeka, the new Justice and Emergency Services Precinct in Christchurch, Stacey is mentoring a mother-of-six - Sandy - to help her obtain her restricted driver’s licence.
“She’s had a bit of a tough life,” says Stacey. “She’s raised her kids herself and her youngest is disabled and in a wheelchair. So her kids have been her life.
“But now that they’re getting a bit older, she’s become involved in this programme to try and get a bit more independence. It’s a positive step for her.”
Stacey picks up Sandy in one of three new vehicles donated by the programme and they drive for an hour each time.
They put driving theory into practice and work on things that a qualified driving instructor assessed in the pair’s first driving session.
The instructor is also available to provide extra help when and where required, and does a final drive with them before the restricted licence test.
Stacey says her role is not just about teaching and fine-tuning driving skills. She also offers another perspective on life as someone from outside the tight circle of the driver’s family and friends.
“I’ve worked with kids and families for so long, I can see that lots of families have struggled without vehicles and without all sorts of things,” says Stacey.
“I enjoy doing it to help someone better themselves. As a Police employee, I think it’s positive for the community to see us helping people who need that extra boost or support to get them through.”
The programme culminates with a graduation for everyone who has passed… “and that’s a nice thing for all the mentors to be involved in and show support,” says Stacey.
Try, try again…
Also in Christchurch, a young man who was on the first mentor programme, launched in July 2017, has enjoyed potentially life-transforming success.
Stephen has learning difficulties and worked closely with a mentor who is a former principal and teacher.
He failed his test twice, then joined the second course in September 2017, failed again “and pretty much gave up on himself,” says Senior Constable Robyn Pewhairangi, of Canterbury Strategic Traffic Unit.
He suffered severe anxiety issues and earlier this year became suicidal. Robyn continued to work with him – and now Stephen has achieved his learner’s licence.
“I believe gaining his licence will help him to recognise that he can achieve more in his life and look forward to bigger and better things,” says Robyn. “What seemed impossible to him ten months ago is possible.”