Rosanna’s travel training by Annette and Rosanna Gilmore

Written on 15th Jul 2013 by Alex Lowery

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Guest article from Annette and Rosanna Gilmore

Rox was born with Asperger’s syndrome although she was only diagnosed 11 years later. She has had to overcome numerous very stressful experiences in order to gain a certain level of independence.

Today at age 22, she lives in her own house with support. She has gone from a refusal to even think of taking a bus on her own right up to when she turned 18 years old, to then accept to let just the idea take place in her mind a year later, to then gain the confidence to actually learn with support aged 21, and finally to hop on and off almost everyday to reach college and go to her badminton practise at the sports centre. After 5 years of coaxing, and talking, and encouraging, of reasoning, after many hours and many people being involved in the process ….Amazing!!

Here is her story: Rossana has always been very anxious about going out of the house without her parents, siblings or close friends.

When the time came for the need to learn to travel independently, many sleepless nights, tears and angry words became a daily routine.

All “prises” to motivate her lost their appeal, and a refusal to go to College meant many days were lost.

Many people were involved together with her Dad and Mum. This is what she says: “First it was Neil, and Neil followed the bus with his car, and then I did it with another girl Emma, and mum and Neil were waiting for me at the bus stop, then at the other college it was Steve then Adam then Gemma and then Jason and then I did it all by myself.”
Somehow Rox was very conscious of the amount of kind people God had brought in her life for her to learn and enjoy independence from her parents rather than be terrified of leaving them.

The plan was like so: first talk about what will happen in detail.
second, go with a group of learners and staff and go through the process of buying tickets, walking to bus stop etc
third, do the whole experience with one other learner, plus one tutor walking to bus stop and another waiting at the arrival,
then gradually reduce the support always making sure Rox agreed to the plan and was gaining confidence.

During every travel training session a mobile phone was used so she could call any time she needed help or encouragement. She also went on to using a bus pass which was a new step she had to learn about and then feel confident to use herself.

She finally reached the day, 5 years after the first attempt and she remembers: “When I first climbed on the bus alone I felt very scared and nervous and really afraid” but she had done it!! She had conquered her fears and anxiety which were the greatest obstacles of all. That was the first of many bus rides.

Today she is really gets overjoyed when she tells her friends: “When I get on the bus I feel brave, smart, intelligent and wise and safe and happy. I catch the number 26 bus to Badminton, to college and to the shopping centre.”

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