TITAN+
TITAN+ is focused on working with young people to have the potential to start travel independence training in the community.
The young people on this programme may already have been working on travel independence skills (TITAN's Ready to Go! programme) while at school. We'll take this into consideration when we complete our initial skills assessment with your son or daughter.
Travel training is a great opportunity to build up the skills for travel independence and adult life.
In 2020 all the young people trained by TITAN were successful at gaining travel independence. They have remained travel independent and enjoy the freedoms and responsibilities that come with it. Read the stories of some of those young people.
Schools, colleges and other professionals will refer young people to TITAN+ if they believe they have the potential to travel independently.
TITAN's locality co-ordinators will then contact parents and carers. They will talk about the benefits, how training works, and to gain their consent for the training to go ahead. Once we have signed consent, young people will get their own travel trainer.
The benefits
Travelling independently brings great advantages to your son or daughter. It will help to:
- Develop life skills so they can become more independent, increasing confidence and self-esteem
- Increase interaction with other young people of the same age, building important social skills
- Open up more opportunities, such as greater access to education, training, jobs, volunteering, leisure and social activities
- Build confidence about going to a new school or college
- Provide greater freedom so they are less reliant on you to take them places
The training
The training is a flexible programme. It focuses on helping young people with SEND acquire skills for safe independent travel as well as supporting them to develop invaluable life skills.
It provides them with strategies or ways they can take positive actions to keep safe while travelling. It also teaches them the tools and know how to cope with any challenges.
We base the programme on a series of small tasks. These are repeated and practised until the young person can complete the relevant tasks for that stage.
Sessions are delivered out and about in your local community, supported by some online learning. There are plenty of opportunities to practise using public transport from your home or a meeting point to a new school or college.
The six training themes
Pedestrian skills
Activities include learning and revising the Green Cross Code and the importance of staying focused as a pedestrian.
We practice at crossings and teach trainees about how to choose the best crossing points on a variety of roads.
Communication skills
We encourage trainees to communicate with those that can provide support when travelling, such as the bus driver.
We also encourage good communication between parents and carers and encourage trainees to ask for help and keep you up to date with their journey.
Personal health, safety and wellbeing skills
Keeping belongings safe and awareness of your surroundings are an important part of travelling independently.
We support trainees to explore how they can keep themselves and belongings safe both when walking and using public transport.
Problem-solving skills
We support trainees to think about challenges that may occur when travelling and discuss how they can overcome them.
We rehearse scenarios or focus on problems that actually occur and use these as a great teaching opportunity.
Journey planning
Supporting trainees to use not only their phones but also bus timetables to plan both their main journey and back-up journey is an important part of becoming independent.
We also teach trainees about time awareness and plan a journey timeline with them.
Journey practice
We practice skills in the community, local to the trainee's home, to build confidence as well as the new journey to and from school or college.
We provide supportive feedback and encourage practice with family at home to build on the skills we deliver.
Access travel information
Information about local bus services can be accessed from Bus timetables and operators.
Some bus and train operators also offer discounts for young people aged 16-19.
Get in touch
If you want to know more about how TITAN can help, please email titan@norfolk.gov.uk