Introducing the Travel with Confidence project
Having confidence in being able to travel is crucial for a fulfilled life after spinal cord injury. Travel allows us the freedom to do many things; maintain social connections, get to work and appointments, get kids to school, enjoy holidays and to have overall life satisfaction.
After a spinal cord injury, travelling may seem an overwhelming and daunting prospect. Recognising how confidence in travelling may be impacted, SIA secured funding from the Motability Foundation to launch our ‘Travel with Confidence’ project.
What is the ‘Travel with Confidence’ project?
Confidence relies on believing it’s possible to travel, knowing how, having the necessary tools, and a supportive system around to make travel plans. The Travel with Confidence project aims to improve the skills and knowledge of the SCI community to travel independently and confidently. We’ll build on our digital resource – the SIA Knowledge Hub – to boost information available specific to active travel and making journeys.
Through the project we aim to:
> Create comprehensive travel resources on SIA’s website through direct conversations with the spinal cord injury community on their wants and needs
> Guide people with spinal cord injury to access wheelchair services and to enhance their wheelchair skills
> Provide advice and knowledge on wheelchair services and equipment to people with spinal cord injury.
We’ll do this by focusing on educating our members, providing access to wheelchairs, building public awareness and through helping make systemic change.
After a thorough application process, the Motability Foundation confirmed a grant of £800,000 to SIA over two years through their Travelling with Confidence grant programme.
How did we learn travel was challenging for our members?
In our annual What Matters survey which asks the SCI community about the issues which matter most to them, between 30% – 40% of respondents reported facing significant challenges accessing public transport and accessible parking spaces, therefore limiting access to transport facilities and services. 35% of respondents said access to personal transportation and a suitable wheelchair were their main concerns when living with SCI.
What’s the goal of the project?
Our goal is to transform 4,000 lives in the first year and tens of thousands more thereafter, through systematic change and by doubling the number of members with spinal cord injury accessing much-needed travel support and advocacy.
We intend to empower the spinal cord injury community with the knowledge and skills needed for independent and confident travel, whether they’re at home or abroad. We’d like people to share their thoughts on mobility equipment and travel to help shape this endeavour.
Our occupational therapist Susie Wood explains: “For those with a spinal cord injury, travel begins with the ability to mobilise safely both at home and abroad. We will be putting together advice regarding wheelchair provision as well as access to cars, buses, trains, planes, ferries, and cruise ships. We recognise what a challenge we have ahead and therefore we will be guided by SIA members and healthcare professionals to start building a resource for mobility and travel.”
Photo: The Travel with Confidence team: Susie Wood, Susanna Turnbull, Fran Moya and Deborah Beale.
For more information about the project please contact: [email protected]