Warwickshire News Mine

An experiment using OpenCalais and Google Maps to tag news stories

Young drivers aim high at Motorvate UK

A group of young people supported by the county council’s Integrated Disability Service (IDS) got revved up when they recently completed a driving course.

Using Aiming High for Disabled Children funding, the IDS Short Breaks Inclusion Support Team helped six young people aged 14 to 18 years – all with hearing impairments - to gain road sense on a Driving and Road Users course with Motorvate UK. 

Motorvate UK offers training packages for a range of ages, for groups and individuals, to help people to prepare for being on the roads. The course commissioned by IDS ran for 10 weeks and covered travel planning and practical driving skills and team working. Training took place at the Coventry Motor Museum with practical driving experience offered at Hearsall Common.

The sessions gave the participating young people improved confidence and social skills, and helped them to overcome personal barriers about how they are perceived by others. They also came away with a qualification.

The Certificate in 30 hours Motorvate UK Road Users Driving Course is a good foundation towards AQA awards, BTEC Drivers Science, GCSE Motor Vehicle Course and BTEC Construction Skills. 

IDS Service Development Manager Lynne Barton said: “This is another great example of how Aiming High funding has allowed our service to have a positive influence on the lives of Warwickshire young people. I would like to thank my IDS colleagues Suzanne Everitt and Chris Rathbone, and Motorvate UK whose hard work and dedication to the project made this possible.

“The project has been such a success that we are now working with Motorvate to develop a similar course for youngsters with physical disabilities”

Warwickshire County Councillor Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families said: “By working together in partnership, IDS Aiming High and Motorvate UK have provided a unique experience for these young people. The result is a group of confident, happy and safe young people on the road, with a qualification that will help them in their future lives."

For more information about the Aiming High in Warwickshire or the wider work of the Integrated Disability Service please visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/ids or call 02476 368800.