Blog / News

Travel training at Assist Trust

Assist Trust has been providing travel training programmes with members for a number of years and over time this travel training process has successfully evolved into what it is (and what we do) today.

When the pandemic arrived in March 2020 (like many things in life) all of our travel training programmes had to go on hold. However, we begun travel training once again in the autumn of 2021. It has felt like a long wait for our members wanting to undertake new travel training or have refresher training on routes which they’d previously done, but thankfully that wait is now over and members have enjoyed becoming that much more independent through travel training as well as becoming more confident through doing so.

The travel training assessments that we use at Assist were developed by an occupational therapist, and enable us to break down every journey step by step. This makes learning routes much more manageable and accessible for members. Another aspect of Assist Trust travel training that differs from some other travel training programs is that each journey with every member is completely person centred. There is no pressure for members to successfully complete a travel training route in a set time or to a specific deadline. We support members to develop their confidence and skills with independent travel and give members as much time as they need.

As well as the practical support, we go through Community questions where we run through different scenarios focusing on different areas such as traveling on foot, bus travel, safety in the community and travelling safe during Covid. We also practice scenarios in the community through role play to support the member’s understanding of the situation. We also provide such things as pictorial aids, prompt cards, member’s card etc. to support members to overcome the difficulties of learning new routes and safe travel.

Travel training statistics

Since October 2021 Assist Trust travel training team;

• have successfully travel trained (and signed off) 9 members to and from their work placements.
• have successfully travel trained 1 member to and from their home.
• have successfully travel trained (and signed off) 7 members to and from local amenities.
• have successfully travel trained 6 members to our Meeting Place Café at the Norman centre.
• are currently travel training 7 members to local amenities.
• are currently travel training 4 members to and from work placements.