Support Behind the Wheel
Having the ability to drive opens numerous doors to employment opportunities and greatly enhances daily living. I recently had the opportunity to connect with Courtenay Rufus from CRUDE Ultimate Driving Education, where we discussed how Courtenay's approach to safe driving can be of immense help to individuals dealing with anxiety or concerns about getting behind the wheel.
Before launching CRUDE, Courtenay worked as a disability support worker, gaining extensive experience in working with individuals facing complex mental health challenges and disabilities. Courtenay adopts a holistic, therapeutic, and practical approach to assist individuals in setting both short-term and long-term driving goals. Courtenay’s unique approach involves addressing behavior management, imparting knowledge, and building skills through a comprehensive driver education program.
Courtenay emphasizes a critical point: passing the VicRoads drive test is just the beginning, and it doesn't prepare new drivers for the challenges they may encounter on the road. This is where CRUDE's Advanced Driver Course steps in, providing a holistic approach to driver education that prepares individuals to become advanced and highly competent drivers. The course focuses on changing behavior, increasing knowledge, developing awareness, and promoting safe driving practices.
The Advanced Driver Course comprises three essential elements: Theory, Simulation, and Practical Training, which collectively span around 6 hours, blending direct instruction with interactive workshops on basic vehicle maintenance, tire changing, and simulations. The course can be customized to meet individual needs and schedules. Participants who complete the course receive a 45-minute practical driving lesson voucher to further enhance their driving skills.
If you organise training within a TAFE, secondary school and/or University setting you'll be pleased to know that the Advanced Driver Course aligns with your commitment to providing holistic education through co-curricular and wellbeing programs. This course serves as a valuable addition to your educational offerings, aiming to educate, coach, and instruct students in all aspects of safe and responsible vehicle operation. It supports the Victorian School Curriculum General Capabilities, fostering Critical and Creative Thinking, Person and Social Capability, and Self-Awareness and Management. In addition to the Advanced Driver Course, Courtenay offers on-road practical driving lessons that focus on holistic and defensive driver training, ensuring that every driver understands more than just the basics of operating a vehicle. Courtenay reported that he's available to help community programs, schools, associations and university's Australia wide.
Courtenay highlighted that he recently had the wonderful opportunity to deliver 3 theory components of his Advanced Driver course to the Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre (CLNC). CLNC provides workshops and more to those experiencing economic and social disadvantage in the Carlton community here in Melbourne. Courtenay stated that this experience was an excellent opportunity to assist people with language barriers to understand the complexities of road law, driver awareness, observation, and vehicle dynamics and physics. Courtenay reported that the feedback from participants was highly positive, and most have contacted him to have practical lessons to reinforce everything they learnt in the Advanced Driver course.
To witness the course in action, you can watch a video of the "Ready Set Drive" program with Deaf Children Australia, which incorporated the Advanced Driver Course: Click here.
For more information about this exceptional program, you can locate CRUDE's website here.
