Right Track changes people’s lives. This nationally and internationally recognised driver offender rehabilitation programme has been successfully delivered across NZ since 2007 and was introduced into Southland in 2018/19. Programme creator John Finch has been instrumental in the success of the initiative and has recruited local personnel including representatives from the Court, DHB, Justice Department, Police, Fire & Emergency NZ and St John to contribute to the programme. Right Track utilises a combination of interactive learning strategies with cognitive behavioural learning therapy providing participants with an opportunity to engage, learn, and take on board messages enabling them to make wiser choices. It is an intense, emotional, educational, and active learning programme that takes participants on a journey of discovery.
The District Courts, NZ Police and the community identified the need for an effective programme to address the issues associated with aberrant driver behaviour. The increasingly concerning trend of serious and fatal crashes and driver offending indicates that high risk behaviour is endemic in communities. The Right Track is a nationally and internationally recognised programme that addresses driver behaviour.
“There are numerous anecdotal accounts from learners and supporters explaining how their lives have changed, how their relationships have improved, how their future is now so much brighter, how they have stopped friends and work colleagues from driving drunk and how they are spreading the messages throughout their own communities. Participation in Right Track has an enormous resultant ‘ripple effect’ with participants not only understanding the impacts of their own actions in terms of driving but in life in general. They share this knowledge with their family, friends and wider community.”- John Finch
Right Track is, “impacting, life changing, eye opening and mind blowing. It opened our eyes and made us think not just about ourselves but other people’s lives” – Right Track Participants
Twelve months after the inaugural programme only two participants have reoffended, a ninety percent success rate. Several learners have become involved in subsequent programmes as mentors and in the upcoming programme three of the guest speakers in the first session will be previous learners who now want to share their stories and encourage others to change.
