Honiton Carers take part in Travel Training

Honiton Carers are the latest group of people to take part in travel training from the Devon-wide initiative, ‘Travelling with Confidence.’

This is free training designed to help people with disabilities to feel more confident when using public transport.

The project is being delivered by Living Options Devon and Devon Communities Together, thanks to funding from Motability Foundation.

The training covers journey planning, overcoming unexpected barriers, dealing with anxieties and how to make the most of travel assistance available. 

Travel Trainer, Laila Afifi, from Living Options Devon explains: “The training has been co-produced by people with lived-experience of disability, to make sure sessions cover what matters to disabled travelers. Training takes place over four sessions and includes taking trips as a group using local buses and trains.

We offer a friendly and supportive environment, and we also have a lot of fun along the way! We are delighted at how popular and positive the feedback has been so far.”

Talking about the training Winnie Cameron, Honiton Carers, Chair said: “Honiton Carers Support Group feel the travelling training has been very beneficial to our attendants who all have various disabilities and are often lonely and isolated as a result.”

Project Manager Rod Birtles of Devon Communities Together said, “On a previous project, Connecting You, we trained community workers to support their clients with travelling. We learned that there was a need for training for disabled travelers to help them overcome the many barriers that they face, from hard to use booking websites to physical access and the confidence to get out there and catch a bus or train.”

The sessions are designed to help empower disabled people with information and skills to feel more confident when using public transport. In turn, this scheme aims to help more disabled people to enjoy independent travel whether that be for work, leisure or education.      

Free travel training sessions will be taking place throughout 2025 and running at various locations across Devon.

Anyone interested, for themselves, a friend, family member or community group is encouraged to get in touch by contacting Laila.Afifi@livingoptions.org

The Travelling with Confidence initiative is also working with transport organisations and policy makers to improve information and support for disabled travelers. More information is available at www.livingoptions.org/projects/travelling-with-confidence