Driving Change is bent on leveling the playing field

In a small alleyway in Gothenburg, Sweden, a blue Lynk & Co 01 pulls over. Out steps Khloud, one of the five participants selected to partake in “Driving Change” – a non-profit initiative started by Lynk & Co, Göteborgs Stadsmission, and My Driving Academy. The purpose of the project is to make getting a driver's license easier for people who might not have the same opportunities. 

For Khloud, the journey began a little over a year ago. 

”I got an email from Göteborgs Stadsmission, which said ’If we can help you with an education, what would you like?’ I answered that I want to be able to drive. After a year, I received another email that said ’You can start.’ I can't begin to describe what I felt,” she says. 

Next to Khloud stands Sara Jonason. She works as an Innovation manager at Lynk & Co and has been part of the project since early 2022. In addition to being a project leader, she is one of several employees from Lynk & Co who volunteer as a driving instructor. 

“As a driving tutor, the most fun has been getting to know Khloud and having the feeling that this is something we have achieved together. Although it hasn't always been easy, it's been really rewarding to see how Khloud has developed and how her hard work has paid off,” Sara Jonason says. 

For many, being able to drive can be a real door opener. According to a report by Svenskt Näringsliv, six out of ten Swedish employers require their employees to have a driver's license. But the possibility of getting one can vary greatly and be deeply unequal. 

The Driving Change project was originally estimated to run for a couple of months, but it has taken longer than the team expected. It turned out that the challenges were more numerous and greater than first imagined. But rather than backing down, everyone involved doubled up – with greater commitment. 

“In order for a project like this to succeed, close cooperation between us partners is required. But also, a wholehearted involvement from students and above all from the volunteers from Lynk & Co. They have really gone the extra mile because this is something they are passionate about and believe in,” Helena Synneby from Göteborgs Stadsmission explains. 

It is not a guarantee that all participants in Driving Change will succeed in obtaining their driver's licenses. But for many, it's not just about getting a driver's license, but about being seen as an individual. 

“It has been expressed by the participants that they are proud of how far they have come. Even if they haven’t reached their goal yet, they have come a long way on that journey,” Helena Synneby says, adding: 

“The mere experience that you have been selected, that someone believes in you, that it is worth investing in you. That, in itself, is a success.”