Young people with Special Educational Needs and or Disabilities (SEND) have been working on a series of films to encourage others to travel independently and expand their horizons.

Wiltshire Council is launching a series of videos, featuring young people who have successfully completed a Travel Training service and are now sharing their experiences to inspire others.

The council teamed up with bus operator Salisbury Reds who provided a bus and driver to create real life scenarios on how to travel with confidence.

The films include road safety, reading bus timetables and using the bus app, plus hailing and boarding buses and buying tickets in a variety of ways.

The service helps young people learn how to travel independently, opening up more opportunities to access school, college, work, volunteering, and social activities. It also supports them in building confidence, expanding their social networks, and connecting with friends and family.

Starting as early as age 14, the service is tailored to each young person’s pace, helping them develop essential life skills over time. The service has seen great success, and the young people featured in the videos are just a few examples of how transformative it can be.

The films are designed to help parents, carers, and young people understand what the service involves and how it can benefit them. Hearing directly from those who’ve taken part offers a powerful and relatable insight into the journey toward independence.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Skills said: “We’re incredibly proud of the young people who took part in our Travel Training service and are now helping others by sharing their stories. These videos show just how life-changing the service can be, building confidence, independence, and opening up new opportunities.”

“We’re also very grateful to Salisbury Reds for their generous support by providing access to one of their buses and a driver, helping us create a realistic and engaging film that truly brings the experience to life. Their involvement has made a real difference in helping us showcase the impact of this service.”

Salisbury Reds head of communications, Nikki Honer said: “Wiltshire Council has been supporting those within our area – giving them the confidence to deal with real life tasks and live their lives more confidently.

“Travelling on public transport helps people to live as independently as possible, so we were delighted to be part of this training. This also complements our own ‘customer promise’ training programme which all our drivers undertake – so they are more aware of our customers’ needs.

“I hope all those who view these excellent films find them useful and enjoy travelling with us in the future.”

To watch the first of the travel training videos, visit – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqH1UIlJNhI&list=PLrJBGaLNqeERmoFD623EwGDlIRBj4zopy

For more information on the travel training service go to – https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/4539/Travel-16