Being able to travel independently is vital when accessing work, leisure, and social activities. At Seashell, Royal College Manchester students learn ‘travel training’ as part of the curriculum, where they are supported to use public transport to access the local community.
We accompanied college student Kaitlin and Learning Support Assistant Susie, who went for a day out at Museum of Science and Industry. Kaitlin chose to venture into Manchester as she had been using the buses to visit Stockport and wanted to try somewhere new.
Kaitlin and Susie walked to Heald Green Station, where Kaitlin could practice her independent wheelchair driving, safely use road crossings and use drop curbs to access the pavements. When presented with a sign for the different platforms, Kaitlin chose which which one for trains towards Manchester.
After buying a ticket using the machine, Susie used the assistance button to let them know they would be needing a ramp. When the train arrived, the conductor attached the ramp to the accessibility carriage for Kaitlin to drive up and park her chair in the wheelchair spot.
Arriving at Piccadilly Station, the conductor again placed the ramp for Kaitlin to drive down and take the lift down to the tram platform, where they took the tram to Deansgate. From there, they were able to have a super day out at the Museum of Science and Industry!
At Seashell, our aim is for students to leave education with as many skills for life as possible. By practising travel training with a staff member, students gain the ability to problem solve, gain independence, and become familiar with taking buses and trains should they need to access work or social opportunities.
