Hounslow Council celebrates Social Work Week (18-22 March) by highlighting some of its services to residents.

The council's Travel Training service trains people with disabilities to become independent travellers on all forms of transport and walking routes.

Travel Training enables people to develop their skills, increase their confidence and learn how to be safe in the community says the council.

Now in its 20th year, the Travel Training Service is aimed at anyone aged over 16 in Hounslow who has a learning disability, physical disability, mental health challenges, sensory impairment, or long-term health condition.

It provides training for people who want to learn to travel independently for various reasons, from going to college or work and attending medical appointments.

People who have joined the service are supported to develop specific skills that empowers them to become independent travellers, a barrier that people face that has such a significant impact on their lives.

Hounslow Council's Travel Trainers are experts by experience and 'know firsthand the difficulties people face'.

The council says support is person-centred and goal focused and outcomes are clearly evidenced and monitored.

The trainers support their residents in every aspect of their journey and work with individualised action plans to enhance skills, learn a specific route, identify and minimise risk and learn what to do if there are unexpected changes to a journey and how to remain safe.

One part of the programme is The Hounslow Bus Day Event, which sees the trainers, trainees, transport officers from TFL and police take to the road in a bus, simulating a journey across town and enacting some role-playing scenarios along the way.

Hounslow Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Transformation, Cllr Samia Chaudhary said: "Our travel training program has given many people in our borough greater freedom and independence by taking them through everything they need to know to get from A to B in safety.

"It is a testament to the great work of our trainers and our partners that this project has been teaching people how to travel for two decades now.

"Long may it continue to support our residents through all of life's journeys."

The Travel Training Service is a free service to Hounslow residents. To find out more about it and learn how to become an independent traveler, email: [email protected].

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