A Canterbury refugee centre is starting up its own driving programme, taught in the native language of migrants.

A Canterbury refugee centre is starting up its own driving programme, taught in the native language of migrants.

It's another step towards breaking down some of the barriers to getting a drivers licence.

It comes as the Government has announced Budget funding of 86.5 million dollars to help 64,000 people get behind the wheel.

In this Voices episode, Katy Gosset finds out how that funding could trickle down and meets some migrants whose driving journey has just begun.

Amanrir Singh Vohra came to New Zealand from India looking for work.

For Egyptian couple, Abdalla Elenani and Safaa Ismail, it was to support a relative injured in the 2019 mosque attacks.

And Syrian refugees Ahmad Hrab and Fatima Alloch came via Lebanon to find education and a better life for their six children.

What has brought them together are these driving theory lessons at the Canterbury Refugee Resettlement and Resource Centre.

Rana Alkhalely has been teaching them the give way rules, switching effortlessly between English and Arabic.

She says some migrants have tried doing the theory elsewhere but struggle unless the classes are in their own language.

The driving course is a long-held dream of Ahmed Tani, a former Somalian refugee who set up the centre in 2004.

Tani understands the barriers refugees face and the ''holes'' in the system.

He belives that helping new arrivals to drive and be independent will allow them to contribute to society.

''That's really the bigger picture and I believe that everyone, if they actually contribute, they will be dignified and they will be proud to contribute to the economy of the country."

The Ministry of Social Development currently runs 57 driver's licence support programmes around the country. Recent Budget funding of $86.5m will extend that.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment also funds the Open Road programme which relies on help from volunteers to mentor students.

While it is only available to former refugees, Operations Lead, Stefanie O'Brien, says it can make a big difference to people's lives.

"Its always so rewarding and exciting to see the smile on people's faces and the sense of achievment."

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details