Tersesa Derrick

     Featured Travel Training Project

     
     South Gloucestershire Travel Training and Buddy Scheme
     
    Hello my name is Teresa Derrick, and I am the Travel Coordinator for the South Gloucestershire Travel Training and Buddy Scheme. The scheme has been funded by the Learning Difficulties Partnership Board and started on March the 3rd 2008.
     
    Aims
    The overall aim of the scheme is to promote the independent travel of adults with learning difficulties, enabling fuller lives, enjoying the flexibility of independent travel, gaining employment and accessing community facilities.
     
    How it works
    The travel Training and Buddy Scheme provides the opportunity for adults with learning difficulties to become Travel Buddies supporting other adults with learning difficulties to become independent and safe travellers.
     
    The scheme provides a person centred approach to learning; building on a persons existing skills and learning new skills to promote confidence with independent travel
     
    If you want to travel independently you will receive support from a Travel Buddy on a chosen route until you feel confident to travel the route on your
    own.
    Links with Filton College
    The Travel Training and Buddy Scheme have linked up with Filton College who piloted a theory course on “Safe Travel” during the summer. The course was a great success and the 8 students who attended gave positive feedback to the course content.
     
    Filton College will be running further courses to compliment the practical and theory training provided by the Travel Training and Buddy Scheme.
     
    How we support people to be safe-
     
    • A travel wallet with your information in to support you to travel safely.                                       
     
    • A safe place along the route you travel that you can go to if you need support.
     
    • Local Taxi services who will act as emergency support should the bus not come.
     
    • Mobile phones.
     
    • Personal alarms.
     
    Individual’s experiences
     
    Buddies
    “My name is Pam Wilkins and I am a Travel Buddy. I have had training to become a safe traveller and pass on my skills to people who would like to travel. I like helping people and enjoy travelling so being a Travel Buddy is something I enjoy”
     
     
    “I am Greg and I like to travel on the bus the Travel Buddy Scheme lets me to do this”
     
     
     
    “My name is Maureen Bunting. I wanted to travel to work on the bus because I don’t really like taxis. The Travel Buddy Scheme helped me with travelling to work on the bus and now I do it myself. I like travelling on the bus and I am proud of what I have done”
    Maureen
     
     
    Travel Training Success to date
     
    Since the beginning of the project in March 2008
     
    • 2 adults with learning difficulties have become Travel Buddies
    • 2 adults with learning difficulties are starting their training to become Travel Buddies
    • Travel Buddies have supported 2 people to use public transport to college and work
    • 1 person has become independent with travel to work
    • 2 people are in the process of looking to have support from the team to enable them to travel to college
     
    Supporting Independence Team 
     
    The Travel Training and Buddy Scheme links in with the Supporting Independence Team who provide 1-1 person centred support to adults in the community with daily living skills
    • Home Skills (learning about cooking, cleaning, laundry etc)
    • Travel Training (support with using public transport)
    • Road Safety (Learn about road safety in the community)         
    • Money Skills (learn about shopping, paying bills and budgeting)
    • Voluntary Work (support to get voluntary work)
    • Leisure Activities ( support to access social and leisure activities)
    • Learning (support to access college courses)

     

    Links with the Supporting Independence Team

     
    The Travel Training and Buddy Scheme links well with the Supporting Independence Team, as both teams are working towards supporting adults with learning difficulties to be as independent and inclusive in society as they want to be.
     
    Travel has always been a major barrier to total inclusion and flexibility for adults with learning difficulties. The Travel Training and Buddy Scheme and Supporting Independence Team provide a holistic approach to supporting adults with learning difficulties to build on their skills, learn new skills and achieve their goals.
    Some of the students who have received travel training from the Supporting Independence Team have moved on to become Travel Buddies. When identifying individual needs with students the Supporting Independence Team has also referred students with travel support needs to the Travel Training and Buddy Scheme.
     
     
    For further information please contact teresa.derrick@southglos.gov.uk or telephone 01454 866808
     
     

    This website has been funded by the Wigan Transport Partnership
    whose aim is to promote greater accessibilty to educational opportunities
    for students aged between 16 and 19.

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