A driver training scheme run by AFL father-and-son Andrew and Jeremy McGovern that has benefitted many young Indigenous people has been so overwhelmed by demand that registrations for its Perth program are temporarily on hold.
Inaugural Docker Andrew McGovern said there was now a lengthy waitlist for the McGovern Foundation's Wanderer Program, less than two years after its launch.
The high demand has made the need for the program abundantly clear, Mr McGovern says, and the challenge the Foundation faces now is securing additional funding to recruit and train more driver mentors.
The program was launched by the father and son team to tackle one of the biggest barriers to employment for young people, especially in remote and regional areas - gaining a driver's licence.
Not having access to a vehicle, or the means to pay for lessons, can make it extremely difficult to complete the 50 supervised hours needed in Western Australia to get a provisional driver's licence.
Foundation driver mentors work with Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders and other young people to help them access safe, reliable vehicles, obtain their learner's permit and complete the required supervised driving hours.
In just 20 months the program has delivered more than 6000 supervised hours and helped 125 people get their P plates, with 76 per cent of these graduates going on to secure a job.
Another 163 participants are currently being supported and the program has expanded from Perth to Northam, Narrogin, Katanning and Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Last month recent program graduates celebrated at an event hosted at Mineral Resources Park, home of the Eagles – of whom Jeremy McGovern is vice captain.
WA-based mining company Mineral Resources (MinRes) was founding partner of the program and has committed $1.2 million over four years.
"We were inspired by the vision of Andrew and Jeremy McGovern because we believed the Wanderer Program would make a real difference to people's lives," MinRes Lithium chief executive Joshua Thurlow said.
"There are young West Australians today who might not have their P plates, be studying or in work if it wasn't for this pioneering program."
Rebeka Morrison, an anthropology student at UWA, told the event she suffered from anxiety and panic attacks when she first got behind the wheel. She said Andrew McGovern patiently helped build her confidence to the point where she was able to pass her driving test this month.
Another success story is 20 year-old Ryan Exell, 20, obtained his driver's licence on his third attempt with the help of the program and, as a result, has been able to begin a career in the mining industry.
After his AFL career, Andrew McGovern moved his family to the remote community of Warburton near the Gibson Desert in WA for two years and later worked for the Clontarf Foundation.
"We've been overwhelmed by the demand for our program and have an extensive waiting list," he said.
"We've had to put registrations on hold because we currently do not have resources to meet that demand. This indicates there is a definite need for our program and we are on the right track.
"Mineral Resources have supported us from inception. This partnership has given us the ability to implement, fine tune and deliver the program with exceptional outcomes and allowed us to expand to regional WA."
