PCYC Napranum’s first Braking the Cycle graduate for 2025, Andrewina Madua, celebrates her new-found independence. Photo: Facebook (PCYC Napranum).
This year is shaping up to be a great year for Napranum youth wanting to hit the road as the first 2025 graduates of the PCYC Braking the Cycle program start to press the accelerator on their driving success.
The program, which has been running at PCYC Napranum since 2021, supports aspiring drivers who do not have access to a vehicle or supervisor in obtaining their licence.
“The program matches participants with volunteer mentors where they are provided with encouragement to help with their self-esteem and confidence, while developing positive road safety habits,” club manager Sergeant Rhonda Spence explained.
“It also provides people in Napranum the opportunity to gain their licence requirements in the comfort of their community, feeling proud and committed to gaining employment to support their families.”
The first graduate of 2025, Andrewina Madua, completed her 100 logbook hours and passed the test with the help of fellow community members.
“[I’m] extremely grateful,” she said.
“I can now get to and from work without having to rely on others, and I can also support my family with their needs.”
With many job opportunities in the Napranum area being with Rio Tinto, program co-ordinator Beth De Bruin said having a licence was a significant step towards career development.
“We’ve got one car in Napranum and it’s a manual, because a lot of the younger students that we try and help, we want to encourage them to get a job, and Rio, which is a big one here, you need your manual licence,” she said.
Ms De Bruin said the club was always looking for more volunteers to help the young people reach their full potential.
“It is a little bit difficult finding volunteers in a small community, unfortunately, but I think we’ve already signed up four this month, which is exciting, because we can do more drives the more volunteers we have,” she said.
“I think our issue with volunteers is that a lot of them don’t have the time, but I also think a lot of people just aren’t aware, so I think it’s more us reaching out to the community and trying to find mentors that are willing and have that spare time.”
