Teaching skills for independence
to children and adults
You can learn about:
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catching trains, buses and ferries
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Opal cards and other ways to pay
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how to plan trips
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using a variety of road crossings safely
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which services to catch
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recognising where to get on and off
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accessible services
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travelling safely
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strategies for dealing with emergencies
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what to do when things go wrong
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stranger danger tactics
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using public transport apps
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managing behavioural challenges on public transport
What is Travel Training?
Being able to travel safely on your own using public transport is an important life skill to gain. It gives people independence and the ability to get themselves to education, employment and the community. Someone with a disability may need extra training and support to learn this skill. Yet many families feel that they lack the knowledge or ability to competently teach their own child or young adult. This is where travel training comes in.
If you want to catch public transport to get to school, post-school options, study, work or leisure activities, travel training will help you develop the confidence and skills to make it happen. Our program is comprehensive and inclusive, covering all the skills and behaviours you need to be a confident traveller.
The cost
Services provided by Living Skills Training are designed to be affordable. We are a NDIS Provider of:
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travel training
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skills development and training
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social and community participation
Services are covered by the NDIS (under Capacity Building or Core) or can be self-funded. No referral is needed. Ask us for details about our prices.
How it works
The travel trainer works 1 on 1 with you at all stages of your learning journey. They discuss your public transport needs with you, plan the best route, and develop a unique travel plan for you. They travel with you as you learn a route, with repeat practice sessions, until you can travel safely and independently with confidence. The service is personalised and flexible, helping you deal with any challenges and matched with the best transport options.
Each person is treated as an individual. Parents and family members are involved in the process as appropriate. Our training methods and programs are tailored to suit each person’s needs, personal circumstances and learning styles. Tasks are broken down into stages and manageable steps. Everyone is provided with individualised tools and resources to aid their learning.
Central to successful travel training is risk assessment and minimisation, an ongoing process which begins with planning the most suitable public transport trip. The travel trainer uses a variety of monitoring and assessment methods, such as fading and shadowing, to ensure that each person is fully competent and capable before they are ready to travel out alone.
“We cannot thank you enough for what you have achieved with Phil*. His confidence with travelling on his own has skyrocketed. We know the work you have put in, ensuring that when he needs help with something you provide it, but you give him opportunities to work it out for himself with guidance only when required. That ability to hold back and allow their independence to develop is harder than just doing it for them, but in the end builds embedded learning, and resilience.” – Parents of a teenager on ASD
