1 NEWS Community: Auckland driving school helping migrants and former refugees gain independence on the road

The Puketapapa Driving School needs another practice car to be able to help more than 100 people on their waiting list.

An Auckland driving school specialising in support for young people, migrants and former refugees is fundraising to buy a second practice car.

The Puketapapa Community Driving School is a community-run social enterprise that provides access to vehicles, volunteer mentor drivers specialising in language support and subsidised training and testing.

The driving school is committed to helping young people, new migrants, ethnic women and people in resettled communities.

"With them getting their licence it actually opens the door for them to get a job," volunteer mentor driver, John Lynne told 1 NEWS.

Since launching in December 2017 the school has helped more than 100 ethnic women and former refugees get on the road.

But there is still more than 100 people on a wait list.

The Migrant Action Trust, a charity helping migrants and refugees in New Zealand, set up a Givealittle page to raise money to buy another practice car, driving simulator and free driving lessons for those who face the biggest barriers to getting their licence.

The Mt Roskill Community Policing Team have also jumped on board offering their time to help mentor learner drivers.

"It was a great opportunity for us to get involved in the community, but also teach our new immigrants how to be safe and feel safe on the roads," Sergeant Dylan Hannah-Johns told 1 NEWS.

"Seeing new immigrants also gain their independence in society is a really rewarding thing as well for us."

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