What is Independent Travel Training (ITT)?
ITT is a programme that provides additional support to young people who face barriers to being able to travel on their own. It will teach them to travel a specific route on their own in a safe and responsible way. It will cover anything the young person needs to learn to travel safely on their own including problem solving, personal safety, road safety and appropriate behaviour.
It will provide:
- A bespoke training programme specifically designed to meet each trainee’s individual needs.
- One-to-one flexible training delivered by a qualified travel trainer.
- Support gradually phased out until the individual (and parents/carers if appropriate) feel confident and competent to do the journey alone.
Benefits of Independent Travel Training
Being able to travel independently provides greater opportunities and can play an important part in a young person’s future:
- Promotes independence and life skills.
- Increases confidence and helps young people feel safer in their communities.
- Have more freedom and find out more about the community they live in.
- Have more choice and be able to go to new places on their own.
- Ability to access more social/leisure activities; improving social skills and maintaining relationships.
- Find it easier to get to school/college and opens up more routes to further education and/or employment.
- Be less reliant on family or carers.
Independent Travel Training will help you with:
- Planning a journey (where you want to go and how you can get there).
- Planning for the journey (what you need to take with you).
- Personal and road safety.
- Developing your individual coping strategies including ‘what if’ / emergency scenario’s.
- Developing your confidence and independence.
- Confidently and competently travelling using public transport; bus, tram or train.
Who is eligible for Independent Travel Training?
The independent travel training programme is for:
- young people aged between 11-19 years.
- individuals that are ordinarily residents of City of Wolverhampton Council (CWC).
- young people who are currently using CWC assisted transport or eligible for travel assistance.
This is a free service and if eligible, the young person will be provided with a bus pass.