Independent Travel Training (PTP)

The purpose of this four day programme is to give your young person the confidence to use public transport independently. The training will mainly be using public buses around the city, as well as walking and some cycling activities.

Please bring a packed lunch for all days apart from the first and second days where lunch is included. Breakfast is included on all the days. Please bring a drink in a refillable bottle.

Enable Ability has been selected by Portsmouth City Council and Testlands to help provide young people with an understanding on how to travel independently, to ultimately increase confidence when travelling alone.

The young people joining us will form part of our newly formed ‘Transport for Kids Youth Forum’ in the Guildhall Chambers and will get to meet some senior staff within the council who make all the decisions. It’s your chance to have your say!

After having lunch provided to us in the civic offices, we will kickstart our independent travel training course with a fun and engaging introduction. Worksheets and tasks will be provided on this day, with a goal to complete all tasks successfully whilst with us on the four day course. We aim to make all the tasks fully-accessible for all learning needs, ensuring all the young people who attend pass the travel training and will hopefully leave the course feeling more confident to travel independently moving forward.

The majority of the days include a watersports activity which is optional, this includes wakeboarding, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and a speedboat rib ride.

This is a free four day course with no hidden costs. It also includes a free one-day bus pass for the Portsmouth City Zone, provided to those who complete the four day course. This will enable your young person to experiment travelling independently (with parental consent/guidance).

Limited wheelchair accessibility

Our second day follows a different format to the first day, where we will be focusing our efforts on those who attend school in the north of the city.

Those who attend schools either centrally or in the south of the city will still be strongly encouraged to attend but will spend the morning enjoying their breakfasts at the South Coast Wakepark and reflecting on what was learnt in the first day's session.

Staff will meet those in the north of the city at their school gates, the purpose of this is to give your young person a more tailored and personalised approach to how they could travel from their home address to school using public transport, before meeting the rest of the group at the wakeboarding activity. Those who are home-schooled will be met at their home address or an agreed meeting place.

The wakeboarding activity is optional and there are other swimming-based activities provided for those who choose not to take part in the wakeboarding activity. A helmet and buoyancy aid will be provided and needs to be worn as a compulsory measure for those taking part in the wakeboarding activity, wetsuits are also provided but optional.

The day has limited wheelchair accessible. A barbecue for lunch is included on this day, please bring a drink in a refillable bottle. Breakfasts are allocated to those who attend either a central or southern school in the city, this will be confirmed upon registration.

THIRD DAY

Focus: Students attending schools in the centre of the city.

Northern and southern school attendees are encouraged to attend but will start the day with breakfast at the Andrew Simpson Centre and reflect on the previous day's learning.
Central school attendees will be met by staff at their school gates for personalised public transport guidance to school, then join the group at the watersports activity.
Home-schooled students will be met at home or an agreed location.
Activities: Optional kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, with alternative activities available.
Equipment: Wetsuit and buoyancy aid is provided, this is a compulsory requirement to wear.
Accessibility: Limited wheelchair access.
Meals: Bring a packed lunch and a refillable drink bottle. Breakfast for northern and southern school attendees, this will be confirmed upon registration.

FOURTH DAY

Focus: Students attending schools in the southern part of the city.

Central and northern school attendees are encouraged to attend to complete the training but will start the day with breakfast in Gunwharf Quays and reflect on the previous day's learning.
Southern school attendees will be met by staff at their school gates for personalised public transport guidance to school, then join the group.
Home-schooled students will be met at home or an agreed location.
Activities: Optional speedboat rib ride, with alternative activities available.
Equipment: Buoyancy aid is provided, this is a compulsory requirement to wear.
Accessibility: Limited wheelchair access.
Meals: Bring a packed lunch and a refillable drink bottle. Breakfast for central and northern school attendees, this will be confirmed upon registration.