We’ve Mobilised!
Driving lessons for people with disabilities are in dramatic short supply!
Members of the Assessment team from the Queen Elizabeth Foundation for people who are disabled have been conducting briefing sessions across the South of England. They aim to raise awareness of a critical shortage of driving instructors to provide lessons for those with adjustments or other mobility needs.
There are many reasons for this including lack of awareness of the need, limited specialist training opportunities, lack of specialist equipment, and of course the overwhelming competing demand for learner lessons that has since Covid, swamped the industry.
The Drive Hart “MOBILISE NOW” community programme is a direct response to this call for action, with less than 3 registered instructors for this provision across the South of England. This lack of instructors to provide lessons for people who are disabled is leading to disappointment and isolation for many individuals who want to get mobile, but simply cannot get lessons.
Drive Hart has initiated the “Mobilise Now” programme in March 24 and how now put in place steps to respond/mobilise recourse’s and help address this shortfall by:
1. Actively support and drive the increase in training provision for ADIs (through its Instructor Training Programme). First training session completed further planned. Enquiries to see what additional training is required.
2. Work closely with QEF & other agencies to increase driving lesson provision for those people who need it in Salisbury and Wiltshire. Action plan has been initiated “Mobilise Now”
3. Support QEF Assessors by resourcing follow up lessons by A Graded ADIs. Referral work has just started!
These actions will not only give Drive Hart Associated Instructors a better understanding of how they can support those who are disabled, and ensure they are prepared and equipped to offer driving lessons to those who need them (following a QEF assessment). Resources put into helping QEF with follow-up lessons will help those with mobility needs get the lesson support they need before reassessments take place and we will use the knowledge gained from working closely with QEF Assessors to inform the “MOBILIZE NOW” Programme.
Great first day training with QEF Assessors – Thank You!
We are pleased to say that the first two members of our Drive Hart Association attended a familiarisation day at QEF with Jane Filipe (QEF Assessor) in March 24
This has led to some key developments in our training of Auto Instructors who wish to support our aim to improve provision.
Great thank you to the team at QEF pictured below with Drive Hart Director Sarah Hart and P/Driving instructor Yvonne Piper – the first of many to go through this process and improve access to driving for individuals who require support or adaptations and lessons so they can drive.
If you want to know more about the work of QEF please check out their website which can be found on: https://www.qef.org.uk/
