Free travel for 1500 more care leavers as scheme expands
More than 1500 young care leavers will get extra help to build their adult lives, as a free travel scheme expands across Tyne and Wear, Durham and Northumberland.
Last year saw the launch of the project to offer young people who have recently left local authority care in Newcastle and Gateshead free travel on the local bus and Metro network to support them into adult life.
Now further funding from the Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan is expanding the offer across a much wider area.
Many care-experienced young people have raised the impact of travel costs on their wellbeing, opportunities for education and work, and their ability to keep in touch with family and friends.
The original pilot scheme, the first of its kind in the country, was kick-started with funding from the region's NHS, in partnership with Newcastle and Gateshead Councils, Nexus and bus operators.
Samantha Allen, chief executive of North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: "Getting free access to transport has already made a difference in many young people's lives in our region. This is another big step forward, making it easier for more young people to access training and jobs, look after their health, keep up with friends and live independently."
This original scheme gave more than 300 young people aged 18 to 25 a Pop smart card with an annual Network One season ticket, providing free travel across local public transport in Tyne and Wear.
Feedback from the pilot has shown that travel cost is no longer a barrier for the young people. Jason Glass, 20, from Newcastle, said:
“I have to travel for my job now, so the travel pass comes in really handy for getting the Metro. I didn’t know I was going to need it so much because a few weeks ago I was on universal credit so I was just using it to get to the job centre once a week but now it's allowing me to get to work every day which I wouldn’t have been able to afford without it. A lot of young people need to travel and can struggle with the cost, so this pass is perfect to give us more freedom.”
Cllr Lesley Storey, cabinet member for a growing city at Newcastle City Council, said: “The impact this project has had demonstrates our commitment to listening to the needs of our children and young people and taking positive action to address them. It is great news for the whole region that this will be expanded. We continue to use strong relationships with partners to provide services and support in a meaningful way to ensure our young people have the best possible opportunities for employment and learning and feel supported into a positive future.”
Cllr Gary Haley, cabinet member for children and young people at Gateshead Council, said: “There’s no better way to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the pilot scheme than by talking to the young people who have benefited from the free travel and hearing what a difference it has made for them.
“The offer of free travel for even more care leavers in the region is brilliant news and we are proud to have been part of the pilot that has helped to make this happen.”
Cllr Martin Gannon, chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee and leader of Gateshead Council, said: "We cannot overstate the difference that free transport will make to care-experienced young people in our area, who are juggling the challenges of learning to live independently with the rising cost of living.
"The extension across the region will make it easier for them to access learning, training and work opportunities, and most importantly help them to develop the skills to live full, thriving and independent lives as adults."
Providing free transport was one of the first commitments delivered by Newcastle’s Evry plan, a plan which unites partners from health, education, business, cultural and charitable sectors in an ambitious city-wide mission to support young people.