A programme for drink drivers is being run in Taupō to help instil better life skills in offenders and helping to ensure roads in the central North Island are safe.
The initiative, The Brief Drink Driving Intervention (BDDI), was developed by Taupō Community Corrections in conjunction with Harmony Trust. It's for people serving sentences of community work who have a first or second time drinking offence.
The course is offered as part of the Department of Correction's work and living skills initiative. So far, three one-day courses have run in Taupō, with 44 people involved.
Service Manager Garry Sparkes says the course is an important aspect of the work the service centre already does.
“A significant portion of people serving sentences of community work have been convicted of a drink driving offence and so it makes sense for us to offer interventions in this space.
We have to give people the skills and tools to make smarter decisions and change their behaviour when it comes to getting behind the wheel,” explains Mr Sparkes.
The programme helps participants to develop drink driving free habits, cope with high-risk situations, make better decisions, be a more responsible drinker, and be a more responsible driver.
The feedback received from participants has been positive, Mr Sparkes says.
“It is easily the best feedback I have seen in relation to a programme that we have conducted. It was a truly satisfying and rewarding result for all the staff involved.”