Hello everyone,
We are thrilled to announce that Blind Ambition is partnering with The Community Transport Association (CTA) and Hampshire County Council (HCC) on a transformative project aimed at improving training materials and systems for Passenger Assistants. This collaboration underscores our commitment to advancing disability awareness and creating accessible environments across all sectors.
Our Role in the Project
At Blind Ambition, we bring over 35 years of expertise in accessibility and disability awareness to this initiative. Our primary focus will be on reviewing and enhancing the existing MIDAS PATs and Accessible training courses. By integrating our insights and best practices, we aim to ensure these training programs are more effective and inclusive, ultimately better serving the needs of disabled passengers and enhancing the skills of Passenger Assistants.
Key Objectives
Reviewing Training Materials: We will conduct a comprehensive review of the current training materials to identify areas for improvement. Our goal is to ensure that the content is up-to-date, relevant, and accessible to all trainees.
Enhancing Accessibility: Leveraging our extensive experience, we will provide recommendations on how to make the training programs more accessible. This includes suggestions for practical adjustments and the incorporation of modern, inclusive teaching methods.
Supporting Implementation: Throughout the project, we will work closely with CTA and HCC to implement the necessary changes. This collaborative effort will ensure that the revised training programs meet the highest standards of inclusivity and effectiveness.
Looking Forward
This partnership represents a significant step towards creating a more inclusive community transport system. By improving the training for Passenger Assistants, we are not only enhancing their skills but also ensuring that disabled passengers receive the highest level of care and support.
CTA and Hampshire County Council are delighted to announce their partners for the next stage of the MiDAS Transformation, focusing on the review of MiDAS accessible and PATS. We’re collaborating with three incredible organisations which are led by disabled people: Blind Ambition, Transport for All, and Disability North.
CTA’s Chief Executive, Victoria Armstrong, says, “Together with these DPOs, we’ll shape the future of MiDAS Accessible and Passenger Assistant Training and ensure that passenger needs are prioritised from the outset and aligned with the social model of disability”.
“We’re really excited to be part of this journey with the CTA, helping to create new PATS training materials using our lived experience and expertise as qualified PATS Trainers. We’ve been delivering PATS training as a DPO training company for several years and feel we can really share the insights, knowledge, and experience we’ve gained from training hundreds of passenger assistants.” – Seema Flower, Blind Ambition
Thank you for your continued support. We are excited about the positive impact this project will have and are committed to working diligently with CTA and HCC to achieve our shared goals. Stay tuned for more updates as we progress through this transformative journey.
If you’re a transport company seeking PATS training, please contact us for a quote. You can be confident that your training will be delivered by experts in the field tasked with shaping the future of PATS training across the country.
Warm regards,
Seema Flower
Founder, Blind Ambition
