Jennifer Pittorino
Learning to drive is a hard enough experience as it is, let alone not having access to a supervising driver or car.
That’s why for the last five years Tony Cutroni has volunteered to teach learner drivers across Wyndham and Hobsons Bay.
He does so as part of the TAC L2P Program which Mr Cutroni discovered through the Laverton Community Hub.
“It is a very good program and very enjoyable,” he said.
With a teaching background, Mr Cutroni is a man of patience and brings it all down to helping people.
“Years ago I was a teacher and then I was in public service in the training section where I was involved in teaching adults,” he said.
“I am also a qualified language teacher to migrants English as a second language.”
Most mentors teach one student at a time, except for Mr Cutroni who is currently dividing his time between two students.
Over the years Mr Cutroni has taught eight students, something he is very proud of.
“They have all been very good and all have different skills and abilities,” he said.
“As a mentor , you have to adjust his or her driving style according to the student.”
The structure of the teaching depends on how many hours the student has driven, Mr Cutroni said most of the time they have only logged five or ten hours.
“That means we need to get them up to 120 hours, I usually do two hours of driving with them a week.”
Mr Cutroni said he couldn’t recommend the program enough and encouraged those who enjoy driving and helping others to give it a go.
The program uses vehicles provided by both Wyndham and Hobsons Bay councils , meaning volunteer mentors don’t have to use their own cars.
TAC L2P Project Coordinator Naheed Akhtrar said they were always looking for new mentors
“This program is more or less creating a bond and teaching them some other life skills other than just driving,” she said.
“We have mentors who are from all age groups and put in whatever hours they like.”
All interested applicants can apply through the VicRoads website.
