THE STREETS ARE OURS TOO Tackling barriers to independent and active school travel at special educational needs schools

David Graham Head of Strategy (Schools and workplaces)October 2015

WE ARE LIVING STREETSThe UK charity for everyday walking

• Free from congestion and pollution

• Reducing risk of illness and isolation

• Walking for all generations

We want to create a walking nation

INTRODUCING MOVE MAKERS

• Right to independence

• Funded by Schools Go Smarter Tyne & Wear (in NE of England)

• Developed and delivered by Living Streets between July 2014 and March 2015

• Worked with 53 students across 5 SEN schools, aged 14 – 19

A project to address barriers to independent and active school travel so that children can travel more actively.

UK CONTEXT • Many special educational needs (SEN) pupils in

school up to age of 25

• Some SEN pupils benefit from home-to-school transport

• Local authorities in UK are dealing with a reduction in their budgets

• SEN schools incorporate independence as part of the curriculum, through independent travel training and in-class activities

• Children who wanted to travel actively increased from 19 to 44

• Winner of National Council for Voluntary Youth services social action award

• 4 videos created by students linked to independent travel

• 1 school created a walking map designed for SEN students

OUTCOMES

METHODOLOGY

• Mosaic approach • Staff as facilitators• Tailored Sessions – language,

responsive, kinaesthetic, reciprocal

• Peer approval • Consensus

EXPLORING BARRIERS AND STUDENT OWNERSHIP

A way to evaluate the quality of streets and spaces from the viewpoint of the people who use them, rather than those who manage them.

SCHOOL ROUTE AUDITS

• Student ownership = greater independence• Tailored travel training • Working with parents and carers• Emotional effects of physical barriers• Walking desire – aspirations and rights• Local Authority flexibility on home to school

transport• Intensive innovations = transformative outcomes• Peer approval• Attitudinal anxiety - role models

WHAT WE LEARNED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akK42pmL2n0

livingstreets.org.uk/sen