Vision support at Henshaws College

 

The vision support service supports Henshaws College students with the development of orientation and mobility skills. 

Mobility and travel training plays an essential role in building students’ confidence and independence.

Ofsted has recognised the importance and value of independence training. Our personalised, student centred programmes and detailed assessments led to Ofsted rating the College’s vision support service as ‘outstanding’. 

We aim to ensure that when the have graduated, they are independent travellers for life. Our College has:

• A unique tactile training area
• A range of travel proficiency tests
• A staff and volunteer wheelchair guiding programme
• Visual impairment ‘good practice’ guides
• Our ‘small steps to success’ documents.

All students receive one to one specialist mobility and travel training programmes in their first year with top-up sessions throughout their course. 

 

Liam Colligan, Henshaws College student

Before I came to Henshaws, I could only really travel with the support of other people. Thanks to the College support services, I can now travel independently using public transport, access local shops and travel to the town centre.

I now go out every weekend and often go out with friends in the evening. I take the bus or train into town, and I am also confident about travelling in taxis. If anything goes wrong – a bus is late or I get lost – I know exactly what to do and who to contact.

I have become a student mobility assessor and am now teaching fellow students the travel skills that I have learned.