The student and the mentor – a bond forged through Drive 4 Life
Partners Porirua News
As Partners Porirua reaches the 25-year-old milestone we’re reflecting back on some of our success stories and some of the incredible contributions that have enabled us to continue supporting rangatahi to enter the working world.
Originally one of eight locally led organisations set up in 2000 under the auspices of Partners New Zealand (PNZ), Partners Porirua was the only one still operating by 2018 and continues to flourish today.
This is the story of how Partners Porirua was instrumental in helping Carlos Rewita on his way – helping him achieve his driving licences and open the door to his career in building.
It’s also the story of a special bond forged back then between Carlos and our driving mentor Denys Latham, volunteering with us for 15 years
The Carlos and Denys story…
Back in about 2011 when Carlos was attending Te Kura Māori o Porirua based in Waitangirua, he met Henry Samia from Partners Porirua. Henry visited the school with the two opportunities for students to work with him to obtain their learner licences.
Carlos jumped at the chance, especially when Henry told him it wouldn’t cost anything. Although his koro had taught him to drive a manual car at 13 (on private property of course!). Carlos really needed his licence to help out around home.
He spent some intensive time with Henry going through all the learner licence questions and getting up to speed (so to speak!) and then passed first off.
“A couple of years later in my last year of school – Henry came back to say they were trialing a new Drive 4 Life programme and asked if I wanted to be a guinea pig to get my restricted licence.”
Again, Carlos was excited about the opportunity but a bit unsure about going for lessons with driving mentor Denys Latham.
“I wasn’t really keen at the time, but when I met Denys, just the way he talked to me it made all the difference.”
Carlos vividly recalls Denys turning up once a week at school to take him for a driving lesson.
“We’d go everywhere, all around Porirua and Denys would show me where he used to work and talk about what he used to do, he’s an awesome fellow! The way he taught me, I always looked forward to that but as well as that, he explained to me what kind of person he is, the jobs he’d had, the work he did at council and his involvement with youth and rugby – he’s a real community man, similar to Henry. He was very patient and knew how to talk to me.”
Carlos says the parallel parking trick to use the back window as a guide was a game-changer.
Carlos says he was the first person at school to have a licence. “A lot of people were kind of jealous – but my family really needed it as my mother couldn’t drive back then.”
“The day I got my licence I went home to surprise mum and dad. I never told them I was going for lessons I wanted to surprise them. It made my Mum want to get her licence even more – which she did.”
“Later, as soon as I turned 18, I got my full licence – everything Denys taught me was still very fresh in my mind.” Carlos says he enjoyed the driving so much he then went on to get his wheels, tracks and rollers licence so he could drive big trucks and diggers as well.
“It made me feel like a big part of my family – my family needed me to do pick-ups and drop-offs and to go shopping on a Wednesday.”
After school Carlos headed off to Whitireia to take part in a building course. He tapped into Partners Porirua again for help with his CV.
“I’d go to see Henry and use the computers at Partners, and he helped me with my CV. I had no work experience and no confidence but getting my CV together really helped.”
After graduating Carlos got straight into building work in Wellington but with the downturn in the economy following Covid, he moved to Auckland. Now, at 29 years of age he’s settled in Auckland with his partner Quelia, a new baby and a successful career as a gib fixer.
“Partners Porirua was awesome. If Henry had never given me that opportunity, I wouldn’t have gotten my learner license, or any of the others until much later.”
Then: Carlos with Denys
Now: Carlos and partner Quelia Mitchell
Carlos says that driving with Denys impacted his life way beyond just driving.
“Denys changed my view on a lot of things. As a young fella it wasn’t on my mind to do things for others, I didn’t even realise he was a volunteer. He really made me think about the type of person I wanted to be and that I’d like to be at least close to being someone like him – helping people where I can.”
“When I got given that opportunity, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I told everyone else at school that they would be really lucky if they got the chance to get lessons from Denys. He even used to shout me lunch, I didn’t realise he was a volunteer I just cared about getting my licence and not failing him.”
Denys recalls Carlos as a motivated learner who had a real cause to want to obtain his restricted licence, which was part of the reason they hit it off so well.
“He was a delight to mentor over the many sessions we drove together. His enthusiasm and discussions we had on different driving scenarios and situations helped me become a better driver also. I’m delighted now at 29 years of age, with a partner and young child, Carlos has delivered with the potential he showed as a sensible, levelheaded student all those years ago.”