Have Buddy, Will Travel!
This is a project funded by Awards for All.
We are working as a team to pair self-advocates up who travel in the same
area and who know each other well.
Self-advocates who are excellent travelers and ask people to fill in before
and after questionnaires what did they know before and now about traveling.
All self-advocates who want to learn to travel need to have a risk assessment
done and their own plan which could have their travel journey, information
about what they want to learn, an action plan, a review plan and stating who
will be their bus buddy.
What is a bus buddy?
A Bus Buddy is someone who helps you to the bus stop or gets on the bus with until you know where you are going:
Someone who is good at traveling and helps a person get to their destination.
Will help someone understand bus times until the person gets used to it
Listens to you and supports the person to travel independently
Takes you to new places so you can get out more
Who can be a bus buddy?
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Your friend
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Member of your family
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Your carer
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Occupational Therapist
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A work colleague
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Self advocate/Support worker
What does a bus buddy need to do or know?
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Needs to be confident at traveling
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Be good at reading bus times
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Need to be good at money skills
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Someone who is calm
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Friendly and approachable
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Patient
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Someone who travels on the same route as you
Watch our Accessible Film about Travel Buddies here:
You can download the My Travel Planner here
This can help you to set up a travel buddy to support someone and help the person and their buddy to work together and travel safely. It is in Easyread and if you print it you can add pictures and write in information about you and your Travel Buddy. Remember to plan your travel well and travel safely. Always tell someone where you are going and what time you expect to be back before you go. Take some money and a mobile phone with you just in case.
Self Advocates also had the chance to travel to Canada to attend a conference about relationships. You can see a short guide made from their experiences on this trip by clicking here. It tells you a bit about the important things to do when you are traveling abroad by plane.